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Though it didn't always look certain, the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs were able to win the SEC Championship and earn a first-round bye as one of the four highest ranked conference champions to play in this year's Sugar Bowl. The Bulldogs (11-2) will now play No. 5 Notre Dame (12-1) in a quarterfinal matchup of the College Football Playoff.
Georgia flirted with disaster at times this season. Their grueling ESPN No. 1-ranked strength of schedule revealed cracks, with the Bulldogs suffering two SEC losses on the road. They nearly mounted a comeback at Alabama in Week 4 but fell short. Later, they were blown out by Ole Miss in a game that had many questioning whether Georgia could even contend for the SEC crown.
Yet, as they’ve done so many times under Kirby Smart, Georgia rallied when it mattered. Wins over top-ranked Tennessee and Texas, capped by a statement victory in the SEC Championship, solidified their playoff spot.
Notre Dame’s path to this point was equally unconventional. After upsetting Texas A&M at Kyle Field in one of college football’s toughest environments to open the season, the Irish suffered a stunning home loss to Northern Illinois the very next week. Many feared it would derail their season, but Notre Dame rebounded to earn their first-ever playoff win in the very first home playoff game of the College Football Playoff.
Now the stage shifts to New Orleans for only the fourth meeting between these two programs. Georgia has won each of the previous matchups, including their first-ever meeting in the 1981 Sugar Bowl. Despite the Bulldogs’ dominance in the series, each game has been a nail-biter, with a combined margin of 14 points separating the teams.
For Georgia to keep their perfect record over Notre Dame and earn their way in the semifinals of the College Football Playoff, they're going to have to expose the Irish and their offensive limitations.
Notre Dame is offensively one-dimensional
Georgia and its cupboard of future NFL-caliber defenders could be eager to face what the Irish bring to the field on New Year's Day. When it comes to Notre Dame's offense, nothing is too elaborate. It's a heavy dose of pounding the rock, led by a three-headed monster in running backs Jeremiyah Love—the team's leading rusher with 1,057 yards and 16 touchdowns—Jadarian Price, who ranks third with 683 yards and seven touchdowns, and quarterback Riley Leonard, who sits second with 751 rushing yards and 15 touchdowns.
Leonard’s lethal running ability has been a major factor in Notre Dame amassing 2,891 rushing yards this season. Their 222.4 rushing yards per game rank 11th nationally. However, this great strength could also be their biggest vulnerability.
In Notre Dame's lone loss this season to Northern Illinois, they were held to just 123 rushing yards, their second-lowest total of the season. While the Irish managed two rushing touchdowns in that game, their reliance on the ground game was evident—and it remains a recurring theme.
Of Notre Dame's 62 total touchdowns this season, 42 have come on the ground. But will that be enough against Georgia?
The Bulldogs have allowed only 27 total touchdowns this season, with 14 of those coming via the run. Georgia thrives against one-dimensional offenses. Games against Kentucky, Auburn, and Tennessee in particular where ones in which they eliminated their opponents offensive strength and took control of the game.
While Leonard has shown he can make plays through the air—posting 17 touchdowns to six interceptions this season—his passing isn’t often the highlight of his performances. In fact, it was his interception against NIU that essentially sealed the loss for Notre Dame.
If Georgia can force Notre Dame and Leonard into passing situations in their Sugar Bowl matchup—and they have the athletes to do so—the Bulldogs could very well walk out of New Orleans with a Sugar Bowl win and a ticket to the semifinals.
