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The end of 2024 and the start of the new year have seen a number of fun bowl games and battles in the first iteration of the 12-team College Football Playoff. Jan. 1 was supposed to feature three postseason games with Texans vs. Arizona State, Ohio State vs. Oregon, and Notre Dame vs. Georgia on the first day of the new year. The latter of those games is the Sugar Bowl. Unfortunately, tragedy struck in New Orleans, Louisiana – where the Sugar Bowl is hosted – on New Year's Eve Night.
At 3:15 a.m. CT, at least 10 people were killed and dozens more were injured during an overnight attack in New Orleans' French Quarter. The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the nation, and it has forced a postponement of the college football quarterfinal matchup.
When and where is the Sugar Bowl?
The Sugar Bowl, originally scheduled for 8:45 p.m. ET on Jan. 1, was first moved back 24 hours. Now, kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 2. The Sugar Bowl will take place at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Sugar Bowl is the second-longest running bowl game in the nation.
Why was the Sugar Bowl postponed?
A night of celebration and hope was ruined by an act of terrorism in New Orleans. The FBI has identified 42-year-old Shamsud Din Jabbar as the assailant. Less than a mile from the site of the Sugar Bowl, the suspect drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street.
After the vehicle was stopped, Jabbar opened fire before responders killed him in a firefight. Reports suggest between 10-15 victims have died, and around another 30 are injured. Obviously, such tragedy takes precedence over college football, and Sugar Bowl CEO Jeff Hundley consulted with the conferences and teams involved before agreeing to delay the game.
How to watch Notre Dame vs. Georgia
The Sugar Bowl will be broadcast on ESPN platforms, including ESPN, ESPNU, and ESPN2. You can also live stream the game with fuboTV. Sean McDonough will call the game, with Greg McElroy providing color commentary. Molly McGrath and Katie George will be reporting from the sidelines.
Date: Thursday, Jan. 2 | Time: 4 p.m. ET
Location: Caesars Superdome — New Orleans, Louisiana
TV channel: ESPN | Live stream: fuboTV (Get Access | Save $30)
Odds: Notre Dame – 1.5 | O/U 45.5
Storylines
All football viewers will have the tragedy in New Orleans on the forefront of their minds when the Sugar Bowl takes place. The same will go for the players and coaches in the game. At least one Georgia student was among those injured in the terrorist act, so the Bulldogs will have something extra to play for.
Georgia, who is the two-seed, has been great all season, as they won the SEC Championship. However, there are questions with the team heading into the Sugar Bowl. Starting quarterback Carson Beck is out for the season with an elbow injury, which means Gunner Stockton will be stepping up in relief again, as he did in their last game against Texas.
Notre Dame has one of the best defenses in football, as the 13.8 points that they give up per game are the third-fewest in the nation. The Fighting Irish also have a key injury, though. Star pass rusher Rylie Mills is out for the season with an injury, too. Mills leads the team with 7.5 sacks.
The Sugar Bowl is expected to be the most competitive quarterfinal game in the College Football Playoff. The winner will advance to the semifinal, where Penn State will be waiting for them.
