Georgia vs. Notre Dame: Time, TV channel, preview for the College Football Playoff at the Sugar Bowl

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love

Two of college football’s blueblood programs face off for a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. Georgia received a first-round bye after defeating Texas in the SEC championship on Dec. 7. Notre Dame defeated Indiana 27-17 in the first round to meet the Bulldogs in New Orleans. The Irish were unable to receive a bye as Notre Dame does not compete in a conference and the top four seeds are awarded to the highest-ranking conference champions. 

While the Bulldogs escaped with an overtime win in the SEC title game, quarterback Carson Beck injured his throwing arm in the first half of the matchup. Beck will likely not play against Notre Dame, and redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton will make his first career start against the Irish. Stockton played the entirety of the second half in the conference championship, finishing 12-16 for 71 yards and an interception. 

Notre Dame is led by Riley Leonard under center and Jeremiyah Love at running back. Love tallied 108 rushing yards and a touchdown in Notre Dame’s first-round game with the Hoosiers. But the Irish are powered by their elite defense, as Marcus Freeman’s squad only allowed 20 or more points twice all season. One of the game’s biggest storylines is certainly how Stockton performs against one of the nation’s top-ranked secondaries, led by All-America safety Xavier Watts. 

Georgia’s defense does not boast the same national rankings as the Irish, but the Bulldogs have playmakers as well, most notably, Butkus Award winner (best linebacker) Jalon Walker. This matchup should be a defensive battle as each squad averages over 1.5 takeaways per game. 

Here’s how the two teams stack up: