SCORE BY QUARTERS |
1st |
2nd |
3rd |
4th |
FINAL |
UND #7 Notre Dame (13-1) |
0 |
13 |
7 |
33 |
23 |
UGA #2 Georgia (11-3) |
0 |
3 |
7 |
0 |
10 |
Attendance:
57,267
Kickoff Time:
3:11 p.m CT
End of Game:
6:37 p.m CT
Game Duration:
3:26
NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana - Riley Leonard passed for a touchdown, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, and Notre Dame's defense made it hold up in a 23-10 victory over No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday that sends the third-ranked Fighting Irish into the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
In a game that was delayed by a day because of a deadly terror attack in the host city, Notre Dame (13-1, CFP No. 5) made enough big plays and got some help from a clever move by coach Marcus Freeman.
Georgia (11-2, CFP No. 2) was in position to close within one score when Notre Dame stopped it on fourth-and-5 from the Irish 9-yard line with 9:29 to go.
Minutes later, Notre Dame had a fourth-and-short deep in his own territory when Freeman sent the punt team out before running all 11 players off the field and sending the offense out. Georgia raced to match up and then jumped offside as the play clock ticked down, giving the Irish a clock-sapping first down with 7:17 to go.
By the time the Bulldogs got the ball back, just 1:49 remained, and Notre Dame was well on its way to its 12th straight victory and a date with No. 5 Penn State (13-2, CFP No. 6 seed) in a semifinal at the Orange Bowl in Miami on Jan. 9.
Georgia entered the game without starting quarterback Carson Beck, who injured his elbow in the Southeastern Conference championship game. He was replaced by Gunner Stockton, who was 20 of 32 for 234 yards and one touchdown.
The Bulldogs outgained Notre Dame 296 yards to 244, but Georgia was stopped on all three of its fourth-down attempts.
Leonard finished with 90 yards passing and a team-high 80 yards rushing.
The game had been set for Wednesday night as part of a New Year's Day playoff tripleheader, but it was postponed after an Army veteran inspired by the Islamic State group drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street early Wednesday morning, killing 14 revelers. Security was increased at the Superdome — which will also host the Super Bowl next month — and arriving fans said they felt safe.
With some fans unable to alter their travel plans, attendance in the 70,000-seat stadium was announced at 68,400. There were some patches of empty seats in the upper levels, but passionate supporters made no shortage of noise trying to will their teams into the next round of college football's first 12-team playoff.
The game was tied at 3-all before Notre Dame scored 17 points in a span of 54 seconds.
The unusual sequence began with Mitch Jeter’s 48-yard field goal with 39 seconds left in first half.
Soon after, Georgia paid for an aggressive decision to attempt a drop-back pass from its own 25. RJ Oben’s blind-side sack caused Stockton to fumble at the 13, where Irish defensive lineman Junior Tuihalamaka recovered. Leonard found Beaux Collins over the middle for a touchdown on the next play for a 13-3 lead that stood at halftime.
By the time 15 seconds had elapsed in the third quarter, Notre Dame led 20-3.
Harrison took Georgia's second-half kickoff all the way to the end zone, slipping a tackle near the middle of the field, cutting toward the right sideline and outrunning everyone.
Georgia closed the gap to 20-10 when Stockton hit reserve running back Cash Jones for a 32-yard score before Jeter’s third field goal of the game gave the Irish their winning margin.
SCORING SUMMARY
QTR |
TIME |
SCORE (V-H) |
TEAM |
SCORING PLAY |
DRIVE |
2nd |
12:14 |
0-3 |
Georgia |
Peyton Woodring 41 yd FG |
5-55 (2:00) |
2nd |
08:20 |
3-3 |
Notre Dame |
Mitch Jeter 44 yd FG |
8-49 (3:54) |
2nd |
00:39 |
6-3 |
Notre Dame |
Mitch Jeter 48 yd FG |
10-32 (2:28) |
2nd |
00:27 |
13-3 |
Notre Dame |
Beaux Collins 13 yd TD pass from Riley Leonard (PAT kick by Mitch Jeter good) |
1-13 (0:06) |
3rd |
14:45 |
20-3 |
Notre Dame |
Jayden Harrison 98 yd TD kickoff return (PAT kick by Mitch Jeter good) |
|
3rd |
09:36 |
20-10 |
Georgia |
Cash Jones 32 yd TD pass from Gunner Stockton (PAT kick by Peyton Woodring good) |
5-63 (2:12) |
4th |
13:47 |
23-10 |
Notre Dame |
Mitch Jeter 47 yd FG |
8-29 (4:18) |
NOTRE DAME STARTERS
POS. |
NO. |
OFFENSE |
WR |
1 |
Jaden Greathouse |
RB |
4 |
Jeremiyah Love |
WR |
5 |
Beaux Collins |
WR |
10 |
Kris Mitchell |
QB |
13 |
Riley Leonard |
OL |
50 |
Rocco Spindler |
OL |
54 |
Anthonie Knapp |
OL |
59 |
Aamil Wagner |
OL |
74 |
Billy Schrauth |
OL |
78 |
Pat Coogan |
TE |
88 |
Mitchell Evans |
POS. |
NO. |
DEFENSE |
S |
0 |
Xavier Watts |
LB |
3 |
Jaylen Sneed |
S |
8 |
Adon Shuler |
DL |
9 |
RJ Oben |
CB |
15 |
Leonard Moore |
LB |
24 |
Jack Kiser |
CB |
29 |
Christian Gray |
LB |
34 |
Drayk Bowen |
LB |
40 |
Joshua Burnham |
DL |
56 |
Howard Cross III |
DL |
97 |
Gabriel Rubio |
NOTRE DAME RESERVES
0 - Deion Colzie, 1 - Jordan Clark, 2 - Jayden Harrison, 2 - Rod Heard II, 4 - Jaiden Ausberry, 6 - Jordan Faison, 9 - Eli Raridon, 10 - Loghan Thomas, 13 - Ben Minich, 16 - James Rendell, 20 - Aneyas Williams, 22 - Devyn Ford, 23 - Kennedy Urlacher, 24 - Jadarian Price, 25 - Preston Zinter, 27 - Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, 28 - Luke Talich, 30 - Bryce Young, 35 - Teddy Rezac, 37 - Max Hurleman, 38 - Davis Sherwood, 41 - Donovan Hinish, 44 - Kahanu Kia, 44 - Junior Tuihalamaka, 45 - Kobi Onyiuke, 55 - Armel Mukam, 55 - Chris Terek, 56 - Charles Jagusah, 76 - Guerby Lambert, 79 - Tosh Baker, 83 - Jayden Thomas, 84 - Kevin Bauman, 87 - Cooper Flanagan, 89 - Charlie Selna, 98 - Mitch Jeter.
GEORGIA STARTERS
POS. |
NO. |
OFFENSE |
RB |
1 |
Trevor Etienne |
TE |
4 |
Oscar Delp |
TE |
7 |
Lawson Luckie |
WR |
11 |
Arian Smith |
QB |
14 |
Gunner Stockton |
OL |
53 |
Dylan Fairchild |
OL |
55 |
Jared Wilson |
OL |
57 |
Monroe Freeling |
OL |
69 |
Tate Ratledge |
OL |
73 |
Xavier Truss |
WR |
86 |
Dillon Bell |
POS. |
NO. |
DEFENSE |
LB |
2 |
Smael Mondon Jr. |
LB |
3 |
CJ Allen |
DB |
6 |
Daylen Everette |
DB |
7 |
Daniel Harris |
DB |
8 |
Joenel Aguero |
DL |
13 |
Mykel Williams |
DB |
17 |
Dan Jackson |
DB |
24 |
Malaki Starks |
LB |
32 |
Chaz Chambliss |
DL |
78 |
Nazir Stackhouse |
DL |
97 |
Warren Brinson |
GEORGIA RESERVES
2 - Nitro Tuggle, 3 - Nate Frazier, 4 - KJ Bolden, 5 - Raylen Wilson, 5 - Anthony Evans III, 6 - Dominic Lovett, 10 - Damon Wilson II, 11 - Jalon Walker, 15 - Demello Jones, 16 - London Humphreys, 18 - Chris Cole, 19 - Justin Williams, 20 - JaCorey Thomas, 29 - Gabe Harris Jr., 31 - Kyron Jones, 32 - Cash Jones, 33 - Quintavius Johnson, 44 - Jordan Hall, 52 - Christen Miller, 56 - Micah Morris, 60 - Henry Peagler, 64 - Jahzare Jackson, 71 - Earnest Greene III, 74 - Drew Bobo, 83 - Cole Speer, 84 - Ben Yurosek, 90 - Drew Miller, 91 - Peyton Woodring, 93 - Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins, 94 - Xzavier McLeod.