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Notre Dame enters this matchup looking dominant after a huge win against Indiana in the first round of the College Football Playoffs. Georgia won the SEC Championship to get the first-round bye, but they lost Carson Beck due to injury. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Notre Dame-Georgia prediction and pick.
Notre Dame-Georgia Last Game – Matchup History
Notre Dame lost all three matchups against Georgia, but each game was decided by one possession. Georgia won in 1981 in the Sugar Bowl, 17-10. The teams then had home-and-home matches in 2017 and 2019, and Georgia won 20-19 and 23-17.
These two teams are very different from the 2019 matchup, and this game is much more important. The winner will stay alive for the National Championship.
Overall Series: Georgia leads 3-0
Here are the Notre Dame-Georgia College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Notre Dame-Georgia Odds
Notre Dame: +1.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +106
Georgia: -1.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -128
Over: 44.5 (-106)
Under: 44.5 (-114)
How to Watch Notre Dame vs. Georgia
Time: 8:45 pm ET/5:45 pm PT
TV: ESPN
*Watch college football LIVE with fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)*
Why Notre Dame Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Notre Dame offense has been solid this year. They are averaging 419 yards and 38.8 points per game. Thanks to his versatility under center, Quarterback Riley Leonard has been the biggest key player in the Fighting Irish offense. He has 17 passing touchdowns and six interceptions with a 66.8% completion percentage.
The receivers have been disappointing this year. Beaux Collins leads the receivers with 445 yards and two touchdowns on 36 receptions. The engine behind this offense is the rushing attack.
Jeremiyah Love has 1,057 yards and 16 touchdowns on 142 carries. Then, Leonard has been a great complement to Love with his feet with 751 yards and 15 touchdowns on 135 carries. Georgia has the defense to shut down Notre Dame, so Riley Leonard becomes the most important player for the Fighting Irish against the Bulldogs.
The Notre Dame defense has been great this season. They allow 295.3 yards and 13.8 points per game. They are better against the pass than against the run, allowing 162.3 yards through the air and 133 yards on the ground. The defense has carried the Fighting Irish to this point in the year, and they face a Georgia offense that is missing its signal-caller, Carson Beck.
Still, Notre Dame is missing Rylie Mills, their defensive team captain and the sack leader for the Fighting Irish. Howard Cross III and Donovan Hinish will need to step up more on the defensive line without Mills.
Jack Kiser is a tackling machine, and the best player on this defense is Xavier Watts in the secondary. He will be key in disrupting a Georgia offense without Carson Beck. This defense has an advantage against this Bulldogs offense without Beck, and they should slow them down in New Orleans.
Why Georgia Could Cover The Spread/Win
Georgia has not looked as dominant this year, and that starts on offense. They are averaging 413.8 yards and 33.3 points per game. Carson Beck is out for the remainder of the year due to an elbow injury, so Gunner Stockton has all the pressure as the starting quarterback. Stockton has 206 yards and one interception on a 78.1% completion percentage.
The receiving corps has been very balanced with Arian Smith leading the team with 750 yards and four touchdowns on 47 receptions. The running game has been a big disappointment this year. Nate Frazier and Trevor Etienne are splitting carries in the backfield.
Frazier has 634 yards and eight touchdowns on 129 carries, while Etienne has 571 yards and nine touchdowns on 111 carries. This offense has struggled more than usual this year, and they get an awful matchup against the Notre Dame defense. They are in for even more struggles with Carson Beck injured.
Georgia's defense has been very good and full of talent, but it has not been as good as in past seasons. It allows 336.5 yards and 20.4 points per game. The defense is solid against both the pass and the run, allowing 208.7 yards through the air and 127.8 yards on the ground. The struggles for this defense at times are extremely puzzling, given the talent on this team.
Mykel Williams, Chaz Chambliss, Jalon Walker, and Smael Mondon Jr. have been great up front, and then Malaki Starks, KJ Bolden, and Dan Jackson are the standouts in the secondary. They have the ability to turn this game into a rock fight and make it just as ugly as Notre Dame can. They should shut down this offense in New Orleans.
Final Notre Dame-Georgia Prediction & Pick
Notre Dame is the pick in this game. Georgia's offense has struggled enough, and without Carson Beck, it lacks the talent to take advantage of the Fighting Irish's defense. This will be a slugfest between two great defenses. Notre Dame has a slight advantage, and it wins and covers in this game.
Final Notre Dame-Georgia Prediction & Pick: Notre Dame +1.5 (-105)
