Editor’s note: The Sugar Bowl was postponed after a man drove a truck into a crowd in the French Quarter in the early hours of Wednesday morning, not far from the Superdome. For updates on the tragic attack, follow The New York Times’ live coverage, and for updates on the Sugar Bowl status, follow The Athletic’s live coverage. Below is our preview of the game with broadcast details, odds and our staff picks.
Georgia and Notre Dame will face off in a tight matchup for the CFP quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl. The game opened as a pick’em, then saw the odds move to favor the Bulldogs slightly, and moved back to a pick’em Wednesday morning.
How to watch Georgia vs. Notre Dame
The last two times out, the Bulldogs needed overtime to beat Georgia Tech and Texas (in the SEC title game) but watched on TV as Notre Dame smushed Indiana in the first-round opener. The Fighting Irish won 27-17 in a game that wasn’t as close as the score, but they lost defensive tackle Rylie Mills to injury. Mills has been a key cog in a Notre Dame defense that ranks third in the country in points allowed per game (13.8).
Indiana managed just 278 yards of offense, 126 of which came on its last two drives when the game was already decided. Can Notre Dame deliver a similar performance against Georgia?
Bulldogs quarterback Carson Beck had season-ending surgery on Monday and is now out for the year. Beck got hurt against the Longhorns after leading the offense to just three points in the first half. Backup Gunner Stockton led Georgia to a touchdown on his first drive and helped the Bulldogs win the SEC. With Beck out for the year, Stockton will get the start in the Sugar Bowl.
Mills’ injury could also be a big deal. Losing a standout on the interior defensive line when Georgia is getting healthy at running back is not ideal. Georgia running backs Trevor Etienne and Nate Frazier missed time due to injury this season but combined for 141 yards and 22 carries against Texas.
Even without Mills, Notre Dame’s defense should be an elite unit. Pair that with Notre Dame’s desire and ability to take the life out of games with its running attack, and it’s no surprise that this game has the lowest listed point total of the four quarterfinals.
Georgia has won all three meetings between these teams: the 1981 Sugar Bowl and a home-and-home series in 2017 and 2019. All three games were decided by one score.
Georgia vs. Notre Dame odds
Expert picks against the spread
More CFP coverage
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What rival coaches say about the Fiesta, Peach, Rose and Sugar Bowl matchups
What defines Georgia’s offense? ‘Tough as hell mentally,’ not the X’s and O’s
Forget Al Golden’s time at Miami. He’s just what Notre Dame’s Playoff run needed
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