The right to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals will be on the line on New Year’s night when Notre Dame and the Georgia Bulldogs battle it out in the Sugar Bowl. The talented corps of athletes on both sides of the ball will have a glaring absence due to the season-ending injury to Georgia’s standout signal-caller Carson Beck.
While not having Beck was a huge blow to the Bulldogs, his replacement and the wealth of quality personnel still available make for a continuing challenge for the Irish. Notre Dame has had its own injury misfortune throughout this season and looks to build on its playoff victory over Indiana in their fourth ever showdown with Georgia and their sixth trip to the Sugar Bowl.
Below is a look at some of the key matchups for Wednesday night’s game:
QB Riley Leonard vs. Georgia Defense
Leonard managed to shake off an interception on the Irish’s first series and finished with 22 completions for 201 yards and one touchdown. He also added one more rushing touchdown to become the school’s single-season leader in that category. His dual talents with his arm and legs will give Georgia some concern, especially with the other available running talent for Notre Dame.
Amid all the top programs situated in the SEC, the Bulldogs emerged with an 11-2 record and a win in the conference title game. They allowed just over 20 points per game and their two losses did show that they can show some vulnerability. In one of those losses and the wild 44-42 win over Georgia Tech, their opponents racked up over 500 yards of offense against them.
Notre Dame Defense vs. QB Gunner Stockton
The Irish defenders have been among the most consistent units in college football this season. Down the stretch against Indiana, this group did let up to allow a pair of late scores. However, before that brief lapse, they had given up just three points and made key stops along the way. Georgia will present a much stiffer challenge and arguably offer Notre Dame’s defense its biggest test.
At six-feet-one, Stockton isn’t as big as Beck but he came through when it mattered most against Texas in the SEC championship. In his two seasons with the Bulldogs, he’s only made 51 pass attempts and threw for only 71 yards against Texas, including an interception. The Irish can’t afford to take such numbers for granted or they may find themselves watching the rest of the postseason.
T Anthonie Knapp/Aamil Wagner vs. DE Mykel Williams
Knapp and Wagner will both get tested by edge rusher Williams and hope to keep him out of the Irish backfield. Knapp is coming off a game in which he delivered a key block that allowed Jeremiyah Love to run 98 yards for a touchdown. Wagner, Knapp and the rest of the Notre Dame offensive line look to improve on the two sacks allowed against Indiana.
Williams will bounce back and forth on both sides of the Georgia defensive line and present a problem in each case. He only has 23 stops on the year, but nine of those tackles have been behind the line, including five sacks. Has the agility to move quickly off the ball but is very aggressive when it comes to rushing the passer, which raises the stakes for both Knapp and Wagner.
MLB Drayk Bowen vs. RB Nate Frazier/Trevor Etienne
Bowen’s quietly got the job done as the main cog in the Irish’s strong defense. He’s got 56 tackles on the year, four of them behind the line of scrimmage. His hard-hitting style has resulted in a pair of forced fumbles. Frazier and Etienne are averaging five yards per carry, so reducing that number will be a priority for Bowen and his fellow defenders.
Frazier and Etienne are the Bulldogs’ one-two punch on the ground, combining for just over 1,200 yards and scoring 17 of Georgia’s 24 rushing touchdowns. Etienne, an offseason transfer from Florida, has yet to break 100 yards in a game. He’s a receiving threat and more consistent than Frazier, who did collect 136 yards against Massachusetts last month.
WR Jaden Greathouse vs. S Malaki Starks
Greathouse has had his moments in 2024, grabbing 27 passes but only one score, compared to five touchdowns last season. On two occasions this year, in the loss to Northern Illinois and the rout of Florida State, he caught a season-high five passes. He and Starks are roughly the same size, so the challenges for 50-50 balls should be interesting to watch.
Starks enters this game having earned an All-America accolade for his work this season. Those efforts have resulted in his leading the Bulldogs with 73 tackles, including four behind the line. He plays the run very well but also has the instincts to compete in pass coverage situations. Given this stiff challenge, Leonard may target Jordan Faison or Beaux Collins more often.
