No. 7 Notre Dame's gritty 23-10 Sugar Bowl victory over No.3 Georgia not only ended a 31-year New Year's Six drought but also showcased Marcus Freeman's transformation into one of college football's elite coaches. Via Notre Dame Athletics NEW ORLEANS-- No. 7 Notre Dame defeated No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl 23-10 to capture its first New Year's Six Bowl victory in 31 years. It wasn't necessarily pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but the Irish did enough to edge past the Bulldogs. The first half was indicative of the type of game both teams wanted to play. Physical and run-heavy, but all the momentum lay with Georgia until Trevor Etienne fumbled the ball in the red zone, saving Notre Dame from a 3- or potentially 7-point deficit. Then at the end of the first half, Notre Dame's 10-point swing, fueled by RJ Oben's strip-sack and Beaux Collins' touchdown catch, put the Irish in the driver's seat heading into halftime. Then, Jayden Harrison's kickoff return touchdown to start the second half continued to ignite the Irish and padded their lead throughout the game. Multiple fourth-down stops by the Notre Dame defense—one after the Irish failed to convert on fourth down themselves and another in the red zone—further cemented the team's identity. Whenever the Fighting Irish offense came up short, Al Golden and the Notre Dame defense always had their back. In the end, it was the consistent play of Notre Dame's offensive line, allowing the Irish to lean on their big guys up front to power past the Bulldogs. Marcus Freeman's growth as a head coach throughout these three years is mind-boggling. From being embarrassed against Ohio State last year with not having enough players on the field to outsmarting the best coach of college football down the stretch, Freeman has grown into one of the sport's best. Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20  off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here The play of special teams was the difference maker in this game as well. With Mitch Jeter going 3-for-3 on field goals and Harrison's touchdown return, Marty Biagi's unit provided a crucial edge for the Irish in key situations. The most surprising factor to me in this one was the play of the Notre Dame defensive line against Georgia's dominant offensive line. Junior Tuihalamaka played the best game of his career, and Jaylen Sneed continued to get pressure from his linebacker position. In the end, the complete team game from Notre Dame was enough to surge the Irish past the Bulldogs. From a box score perspective, there was nothing glamorous about Notre Dame's performance. Riley Leonard was 15/24 for only 90 passing yards, yet his 80 yards on the ground were the Irish's key source of offensive production. As Notre Dame now looks toward Penn State in the Orange Bowl, the Irish must get as healthy as possible. Jeremiyah Love exited the game with an injury, while Howard Cross and Xavier Watts both had to come out of the game for a couple plays, as well. It is certainly an entertaining time for Notre Dame fans, and Marcus Freeman's Irish are starting to turn the national narrative surrounding the program on its head. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame faces its undeniably toughest challenge yet of the 2024 season against the second-seed Georgia Bulldogs. Can Notre Dame start 2025 on a good note? Photo by The Irish Tribune Peter Mulroy - Associate Editor, First & Gold Podcast Score Prediction: 24-17 Notre Dame Punch them in the mouth early & see how they respond. The SEC champs will punch back, but this isn’t your daddy’s ND squad. Expect the Irish to pound the rock — again — then let their secondary dictate play on defense. In a game that screams physicality, give me Notre Dame’s Ali to UGA’s Frazier in a bout for the record books! Liam Farrell - Associate Editor, Senior Football Writer Score Prediction: 27-17 Notre Dame In Notre Dame’s second-round matchup, Al Golden puts on a masterclass as the Irish defense confuses Gunner Stockton for the majority of the game. On the offensive side of the ball, Notre Dame picks up an early lead due to some bad Georgia tackling and Riley Leonard does enough with his arm late in the game to punch an Orange Bowl appearance. My hot takes for the game are that Jayden Harrison will have a touchdown, whether it be receiving or a kickoff return, and that Leonard Moore will record an interception. Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20  off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Brenden Duffy - Associate Editor, Senior Staff Writer Score Prediction: 24-20 Notre Dame ND dominates early, capitalizing on mistakes by the UGA offense led by first-time starter Gunner Stockton. After slowly settling into the game, Stockton starts to find a rhythm and leads UGA back into the game. If UGA is going to have success on offense, they must have a solid run game by either RB Trevor Etienne or Nate Frazier. If they rush effectively in the first half, this should open up the passing game in the second half for Stockton. For the Irish on offense, they should find success with their bread and butter in the run game. Georgia has the talent on defense to dominate anyone in the country, but there have been several instances throughout the year where miscues, bad communication, etc. have led to opposing offenses making big-time plays. Both of UGA’s losses came against mobile QBs in Jalen Milroe and Jaxson Dart, and they were nearly upset by Georgia Tech’s Haynes King. Expect Irish QB Riley Leonard to have a big impact via the run game against this defense. In the end, I think ND advances to the Orange Bowl thanks to a defense that forces an inexperienced QB to make mistakes and a strong rush performance, specifically from Leonard. Clayton Stohler - First & Gold Podcast Co-Host Score prediction: 27-20 Notre Dame UGA’s front 7, playmakers on the perimeter, the best TE Room in the country, and a stable featuring 2 very good running backs. Georgia will throw it all at the Irish, but this time, it won’t be enough. ND disrupts Stockton’s rhythm all night long, as the lack of in-game reps reveals itself. Christian Gray takes his lumps against Arian Smith, but ultimately keeps him contained. Howard Cross has a big day disrupting the middle, as Bryce Young, Josh Burnham, and Junior Tuilamaka set the edge with conviction. On offense, Jadarian Price has his best game in a Notre Dame Uniform. Riley Leonard finds his rhythm and keeps it as the tight end room has their best day of the season.. It’s going to come down to one possession all night long, and ND, for the first time in a long time, is one possession better than Georgia. Noah Wehby - Writer Score Prediction: 21-17 Notre Dame This is going to be a tough, physical game for all four quarters. Both teams want to establish the run and play aggressive defense. Due to Georgia’s size and athleticism, Notre Dame is going to have their biggest test yet when it comes to running the football. Luckily for the Irish, Jeremiyah Love is on a different level and will still find ways to get loose. On the defensive side of the ball, Notre Dame will have to make early adjustments to Gunner Stockton and the Georgia offense. As there is not a lot of tape of him, the first few drives will be a great tell for Al Golden. In the end, Notre Dame’s stout defense will be too much for Georgia. Bruce Straughan - Recruiting Insider & Writer Score Prediction: 17-14 Notre Dame This game has all the ingredients to be a defensive battle and a low-scoring game. Georgia comes in not the typical Georgia we’ve been used to this past decade. An inexperienced QB starting (in the biggest game of his life) against a dominant secondary could spell big-time trouble for Georgia. Georgia’s wide receivers have had a hard time creating separation and it won’t be any easier against a top secondary in the nation in Notre Dame. Notre Dame has been gashed from time to time up the middle and Georgia’s strength is their run game. Notre Dame’s game plan should be to stack the box to stop the run and trust their secondary to go one-on-one with Georgia’s wide receivers. Make Stockton beat them with his arm. I see a big day coming for Xavier Watts (who has a knack for being in the right place at the right time) against an inexperienced QB in Stockton. Notre Dame’s strong suit has been the run game all season and nobody they’ve faced so far this season has been able to stop it consistently even when stacking the box. If they can get Love and Price going ND could run away with this game. Connor Regan - Long-Form Writer Score Prediction: 27-23 Notre Dame The game will ultimately come down to two key factors: who excels at running the ball and who excels at stopping it. Al Golden and the defense will gradually suffocate Stockton, forcing the offense to play their style. The combination of Leonard, Price, and Love will ultimately prove too overwhelming for the Bulldogs over four quarters. This will be a close one, but look for Notre Dame to get the lead early and fend off Georgia’s attempts to scratch their way back. Max Uretsky - Recruiting & Football Analyst Score Prediction: 24-20 Notre Dame Georgia is still one of the big dogs on the block and continues to have top-notch athletes across the board. The difference is, this time around Notre Dame has the athletes to match. The UGA defense will not give up any gimme yards, especially in between the tackles, but I think Notre Dame will continue to work the perimeter with their outstanding running backs until they find some chunk plays. Riley Leonard will be very efficient, especially in the intermediate passing game, and will continue to build on a stellar back end of the season. Defensively, even with the massive blow of losing Rylie Mills, there is just something different about the way this unit is playing. Al Golden is completely dialed in with what is working for his players and I think this is a tough match-up for Gunner Stockton who may bring more as a runner than a passer. A defensive stop late in the game seals a victory for ND and sends them to the Orange Bowl. Brady Burden - Social Media Intern Score Prediction: 27-17 Notre Dame Notre Dame will run the ball just like every other game and will have success while doing it. The Georgia defense is good enough and will make adjustments and the Irish will need to spread the Dawgs out and throw the ball downfield. ND will score a late touchdown in the 4th and will escape as Sugar Bowl champs. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Round 1 of the 12-team College Football Playoff is in the books, and the pool has narrowed to 8 schools. Photo by The Irish Tribune After receiving 1st-round BYEs, the top-4 teams in the bracket are about to see their first playoff action. Penn State and Boise State kick things off in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve (7:30 pm EST), followed by a jam-packed New Year’s Day with the remaining three matchups.  Texas and Arizona State will battle it out in the Peach Bowl (1:00 p.m. EST), followed by a Rose Bowl showdown between Ohio State and Oregon (5:00 p.m. EST). In the first primetime broadcast of 2025, the SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs will face the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Sugar Bowl (8:45 p.m. EST). This is only the 4th game between Notre Dame and Georgia, but it’s not their first postseason meeting. Fittingly, their very first encounter came in the 1981 Sugar Bowl. Heisman winner Herschel Walker led the Bulldogs to a narrow 17-10 win over Dan Devine’s Irish en route to their first National Title in program history.  In 2014, it was announced that Notre Dame and Georgia had formally agreed to their first scheduling agreement, a home-and-home series split between the 2017 and 2019 seasons. The first matchup sent second-year head coach Kirby Smart and the No. 15 Bulldogs to South Bend to face  Brian Kelly and the No. 24 Irish. Underdog Notre Dame surprised everyone with a 13-10 lead at halftime, even going up 16-10 before Georgia answered with a touchdown to take their first lead of the day, 17-16. The Bulldogs forced Notre Dame to settle for a field goal before kicking one of their own to steal the game 20-19. Two years later, No. 3 Georgia hosted No. 7 Notre Dame in Athens, with significantly higher stakes at play. In a near replica of the 2017 game, the Irish held a surprising lead going into halftime before going scoreless in the 3rd quarter, while Georgia kicked two field goals to take a 13-10 lead. The 4th quarter was more of the same, as Georgia extended their lead to 23-10 with another touchdown and field goal. The Irish responded with a touchdown to narrow the deficit to 23-17 before stopping the Bulldog's offense to get one last shot. Like the game two years before, the Irish had a chance to win with under two minutes left but couldn’t come up with the points. Georgia’s perfect 3-0-0 series record is impressive but doesn't tell the whole story. All three games were competitive, decided by a single score, and in two instances, the Irish had a chance to win at the end of the game. Will Notre Dame score their first-ever win over the Bulldogs and continue their march to a shot at the Title? Or will Georgia continue their Championship pedigree and move one step closer to their 3rd Title in 4 years? We won't get any answers until 2025 is officially here, but until then - here’s everything you need to know ahead of Wednesday's game. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Georgia Kirby Smart needs no introduction. He’s arguably the best active coach in the sport and has completely transformed Georgia from a middling SEC program to the national powerhouse they are today. In his 9 seasons with the Bulldogs, Smart has posted a ridiculous 105-18 record, along with two National Titles.  They began 2024 as Title favorites and quickly dispatched No. 14 Clemson and Tennessee Tech before their first close call. The Dawgs nearly fell at unranked Kentucky, trading field goals most of the way until a late-quarter touchdown gave them the lead. Georgia held on to win 13-12. After narrowly escaping Kentucky, UGA had two weeks off before heading to Tuscaloosa to face No. 4 Alabama. The Tide were up 30-7 at halftime, but a heroic Georgia comeback saw them narrow the score to 4 in the 4th quarter. Ultimately, it was in vain as Bama kicked one last field goal to hand UGA their 1st loss of the year, 41-34. It dropped them back to No. 5 in the polls, but they responded with four straight wins over Auburn, Florida, a close call against Mississippi State, and a 30-15 thriller at No. 1 Texas. Then, things changed. No. 2 Georgia hit the road to face No. 16 Ole Miss, and the Rebels dominated them on both sides of the ball, primarily behind their pressure on Carson Beck and dual-threat Jaxson Dart’s 200 through the air and 50 on the ground. Ole Miss won handily, 28-10, to hand Georgia their second loss. It was their first season with more than one loss since 2020. The Bulldogs then beat No. 7 Tennessee 31-17 before a strangely high-scoring win over UMass, 59-21. In their final game of the regular season, Georgia battled Georgia Tech through 8OT periods before emerging victorious 44-42. Once again, the Bulldogs battled back from a 17-0 halftime deficit and scored 21 points in the 4th quarter to send the game to extra time. Georgia earned a rematch with Texas in the SEC Title game and went to overtime for the second week in a row. This time, UGA was able to close things out in the first OT period with a touchdown, winning 22-19. The win made the Bulldogs SEC Champions and secured a 1st-round BYE in the playoff.  Georgia Injury Report RB - Trevor Etienne - Ribs - Available RB - Branson Robinson - Leg - Questionable DL Christian Miller - Shoulder Questionable QB - Carson Beck - Elbow - Out RB - Roderick Robinson - Leg - Out DL - Joseph Jonah-Ajonye - Leg - Out P - Brett Thorson - Knee - Out Georgia’s season may not have been as pretty as they like it, but this team has been tested more than any other in the country. Although they’ve started slow a few times, they have consistently proven themselves to be one of the best second-half teams this year. They’re sure to be well-rested and well-studied for the Sugar Bowl after more than 3 weeks of time off. Will that extra time help the Bulldogs recover and prepare, or will there be signs of rust from such a long break? Notre Dame The Irish are coming off their most significant win of the season with a 27-17 victory over Indiana in the first round of the CFP.  While it wasn’t Notre Dame’s largest or most statistically impressive outing this year, the win brought with it a level of confidence this team hadn’t experienced yet. You could tell by the way they played that something was different.  Notre Dame outclassed and outworked the Hoosiers from the jump. The Irish defense smothered Indiana’s highly lauded offense, holding them to 215 yards passing and only 61 yards on the ground. Indiana’s defense was considered the stronger part of their team, but even they failed to contain any part of the Irish offense. Jeremiyah Love finished with 108 yards and a touchdown, while Leonard tossed 201 yards and a touchdown through the air, along with a score on the ground. Notre Dame Injury Report OL - Charles Jagusah - Available RG - Rocco Spindler - Ankle - Questionable WR - KK Smith - Collarbone - Questionable LB - Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa - Knee - Questionable LB - Bodie Kahoun - Leg -  Questionable DT - Rylie Mills - Knee - Out Much like the end of the USC game, the final score was closer than the actual game was. The Irish led 27-3 with only a few minutes left in the game before they took their starters out to cycle in some second and third-stringers. Indiana kept their first stringers in and scored two garbage-time touchdowns that narrowed the margin of victory from 24 to 10. Nearly all the Hoosier’s production came from those final two drives. Notre Dame managed to dominate the Hoosiers while not even playing their best ball. If they can learn from this performance and clean up those little things, they should be in an even better spot to succeed against Georgia. With that said, the Irish can't afford to bring anything less than their very best to the table against the Bulldogs. They don’t have to play a perfect game to win this one, but it will likely require the most complete performance we’ve seen from this team so far.  The Matchup While the first round of the playoff was criticized for a perceived lack of competitiveness, round two looks to have more parity, with two of the four games projected to be a toss-up. Ohio State holds a slim (-2.5) advantage over undefeated Oregon, while Georgia is favored by a razor-thin (-1.5) over Notre Dame. That’s despite the game’s line initially opening with the Irish favored (-1.0) before the money moved Georgia ahead.  With things that close, the 2024 Sugar Bowl may be the most evenly matched game of the postseason. It's entirely reasonable to take either team to cover the spread. Although favored, Georgia has only managed to cover the spread 4/13 times this season, one of the worst ratios in the country, while Notre Dame has covered 10/13 times, one of the best. As for the points total - oddsmakers have set a low 45.5 total due to both sides possessing an elite defense and a run-first offense. There’s a good chance neither offense manages to score much, but field goals and defensive scores could easily swell the total just over the implied 23-22 score prediction. Notre Dame’s Defense vs Georgia’s Offense This head-to-head holds the most unknowns. Due to Carson Beck’s injury in the SEC championship game, Gunner Stockton will make his very first collegiate start. Before becoming QB1, Stockton had only appeared in eight games, three of which came this season. There’s only about 80 snaps worth of tape on Stockton, but he is confirmed to be a better runner than Beck, although he lacks the same kind of arm. If the Dawgs are forced into throwing, they won’t get much help from their wide receivers, who lead the nation in dropped balls even when Beck was healthy. Thus, Georgia’s offense will likely skew their play calling to better utilize Stockton’s legs and reduce their pass reliance. Georgia’s Offense - Players to Watch Gunner is undoubtedly talented, but the idea that he’s just as good as Beck is absurd. There’s a reason he’s been a backup until now, and he almost assuredly won’t be able to replicate Beck’s production.  This is a massive advantage for the Irish, as they’ll be able to focus on the run while trusting their DBs can handle man coverage down the field. If Notre Dame can put enough pressure on Stockton, they can shut down his ground attack and force him to throw on one of the best pass defenses in the country. Either way, making Stockton uncomfortable is the key to forcing punts or winning the turnover battle. Notre Dame’s biggest challenge will be stopping Georgia’s ground game. It's the only major area where Notre Dame’s elite defense is outside the top 10, and the injury to Rylie Mills leaves them noticeably depleted. This will likely be where Georgia tests the Irish first, behind their backfield of Nate Frazier and Trevor Etienne. The tandem has combined for over 1,200 yards on the ground and 17 touchdowns. Georgia’s success on the ground is contingent on their offensive line, which may have their hands full with Notre Dame’s pressure. Georgia’s primary offensive goal will be to run the ball effectively, including through Stockton. At the same time, Notre Dame’s defense will attempt to overwhelm Gunner enough to force bad throws or turn the Bulldogs into a one-dimensional run-only offense. Notre Dame would match up well with Georgia even if Beck were playing, but with Stockton so new to running the show, it’s hard to put your money against Al Golden’s defense.  Advantage: Soft Notre Dame Notre Dame’s Offense vs Georgia’s Defense This head-to-head may be the most competitive showdown of the game. Like Georgia’s quarterback situation, much of Notre Dame’s success depends on Riley Leonard's performance. Both defenses will aim to pressure the quarterback into ill-advised throws by blitzing and stifling the running game.  Georgia’s Defense - Players to Watch Georgia’s only problem is that Notre Dame’s biggest offensive advantage is their elite ground game. Jeremiyah Love is the star of the show, but OC Mike Denbrock balances his load with Jadarian Price and adds a safety outlet with Leonard’s mobility. The three combined for 2,500 yards and 38 touchdowns on the ground alone, showing why they don’t pass very often - they don’t need to. Georgia ranks 35th in rush yards allowed, while Indiana ranked first, yet the Irish nearly tripled their 70.8 yards allowed average. If Notre Dame can replicate a similar production level, it would likely be enough to strike the right balance with the passing game, similar to the Indiana performance.  The passing game is where things get most interesting. There’s a decent chance Notre Dame doesn’t need to force many balls through the air, but if they do, Riley Leonard’s recent upswing may make things easier than previously believed. In his last 6 games, Leonard has thrown 11 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions, compared to 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions in his first 7 games. If the Irish struggle on the ground, it’ll be because Smart will load the box to stop the run, leaving Irish receivers in man on the outside. Leonard would then have to throw a few more of those 44-yard bombs to Jordan Faison to pull extra guys off the line and out of the box. This one is a true toss-up. Both groups have a real shot at winning, but neither is dominant or complete enough to hold a firm edge.  Advantage: Even Notre Dame’s Special Teams vs Georgia’s Special Teams Notre Dame’s special teams unit has been relatively solid across the board this season, the only exception being field goal kicking. The Irish kicking staff is collectively dead last in the country in field goal percentage, making only 10/21 across 3 kickers. Mitch Jeter started the season strong before an injury sidelined him for several games and greatly affected his accuracy and ability, even after he was cleared to return. It wasn’t until the first round of the playoff that Jeter finally looked like himself again. He went 3/3 on extra points and 2/3 on field goal attempts, including a 49-yarder that was his longest of the season. It was his best performance since week 1 against TAMU.  The question going forward isn’t CAN Jeter make these kinds of kicks, but how consistently can he?  On the other hand, Georgia’s kicker, Peyton Woodring, has been truly elite this year. He ranks top-10 in field goal percentage, hitting on 20/22 while remaining perfect from under 50 yards. His longest kick of the season is 55 yards, making him a legitimate threat to score from anywhere past midfield. Woodring is experienced and won’t shrink in the moment, and that’s why the Dawgs get the leg up in the kicker battle. Special Teams - Players to Watch As for the receiving game, it’s essentially a wash. The Irish hold the edge in kick returns, ranking 87th with an average of 19.0 yards per return, while the Bulldogs sit near the bottom at 125th with only 15.2 yards per return. Conversely, Georgia has a slight advantage in punt returns with 8.1 yards per return, good for the 67th spot, while Notre Dame places 88th with 6.5 yards per return. Neither group has a clear advantage in the return game. Lastly, the punt game. Notre Dame’s average yards per punt are nothing special at 88th, but they’re saved by their coverage unit, which ranks significantly higher at 40th in net punt yards. For Georgia, it's nearly the reverse. Their average yards per punt are elite at 5th overall, but their punt coverage drops their net punt yards down to 88th.  Georgia would clearly get the nod off numbers alone, but there’s a problem: All those numbers came from junior punter Brett Thorson, who was injured in the SEC Championship game and is out for the season. Coach Smart told reporters that the job is open but confirmed that freshman punter Drew Miller has been taking the majority of practice reps. Without Thorson, Georgia’s punt game will rely on a freshman with no career punts to his name behind a weak punt coverage unit. With so many unknowns, Notre Dame gets the edge in the punt game. These units match up incredibly closely across the board, but each has its own unique weakness. For Notre Dame, it's their inconsistency at kicker, specifically Mitch Jeter’s struggles with accuracy and health. For Georgia, it’s Brett Thorson’s injury and their scramble to replace one of the nation’s best punters. The bottom line in comparison is - which team’s liability could hurt them the most?  In a game where points will be at a premium, and neither team can afford missed opportunities, Notre Dame’s weakness at kicker has a greater potential impact on the game’s outcome than Georgia’s compromised punt game. Up to this point, Notre Dame hasn’t needed to rely on Jeter’s leg to win them games, but this may be the first time all year that the Irish are left at the mercy of its field goal unit.  For that reason alone, Georgia gets the overall edge on special teams. Advantage: Soft Georgia Prediction: Once again, we find Notre Dame staring down the barrel of its greatest test of the season, with everything on the line. Georgia has been a powerhouse under Kirby Smart for almost a decade now, but this may be his most vulnerable team. With two losses and several close calls on their resume, there are proven methods to beat this team, and they can be replicated. Notre Dame’s game plan comes down to this: Dominate UGA’s defense on the ground Use Leonard’s mobility to establish a balanced passing attack. Pressure Gunner Stockton into risky passes/sacks This game plan combines goals that Notre Dame has already executed this season with approaches that Bama and Ole Miss used to beat UGA. If the Irish can achieve these three objectives, there’s no reason they can’t win. For the first time in recent memory, Notre Dame has the opportunity to take that next step, but this time feels different. A Sugar Bowl win over Georgia would instantly become one of the greatest wins in modern program history and dispel the narrative that Notre Dame is no longer a powerhouse. Call it stupidity or call it blind faith, but look for Notre Dame to win this in a close one. Look for: Notre Dame’s defense -  2+ sacks Xavier Watts - 1 interception Riley Leonard - 50+ rushing yards  Riley Leonard - 1 touchdown   Jeremiyah Love - 100+ rushing yards Jeremiyah Love - 1 rushing touchdown Jordan Faison - 1 receiving touchdown Win: (13-1) ND: 27 - 23 :UGA Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame's marquee matchup with Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl is right around the corner. This will mark the biggest game for Marcus Freeman during his time at Notre Dame, and the program's biggest game in a long time. Notre Dame will have it's hands full with a very talented Georgia team led by Kirby Smart. Here are three things Notre Dame needs to accomplish on New Year's Day to takedown Georgia and advance to the semifinals. Photo by Irish Tribune Win On The Outside One of Notre Dame's deficiencies on offense is their lack of explosive playmakers on the outside. Obviously, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price are capable of breaking a huge play almost every time they touch the ball in the backfield, but that capability has not always translated to the wide receivers. The Irish passing attack this season has been methodical, often relying on short passes to move the ball. Some of this can be attributed to Leonard's weaknesses, as he hasn't shown any consistent ability to push the ball down the field. Leonard doesn't have a particularly strong arm, and the wideouts don't have a ton of big play speed and size. Beaux Collins was thought to be this type of player, but he has struggled to break out up to this point. Against Georgia, Notre Dame may need someone in this wide receiver room to make a few plays to put their stamp on the game. Georgia will surely commit their defense to stopping Notre Dame's dangerous running game. Kirby Smart is a fantastic coach with two weeks to prepare and plenty of talent to find ways to do this. This means that Notre Dame may need to look elsewhere for explosive plays. In his game against Indiana, Jordan Faison showed flashes of his ability to make big plays for the offense. Faison was a reliable set of hands to find on third down for Leonard, and even made a few players miss on a big kickoff return to start the second half. Whether it is Collins, Faison, Greathouse, or even Mitchell, Notre Dame is going to need someone to step up on the outside to relieve some pressure put on the rushing attack. In a game of this magnitude, Notre Dame needs to have options to be able to consistently and effectively hurt this daunting Georgia defense. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Limit The Run Like Notre Dame, Georgia makes their living on the ground. They have two talented running backs, Nate Frazier and Trevor Etienne, who have combined for 17 touchdowns and over one thousand yards. Etienne, who has been banged up all year, will have had three weeks to get healthy. He is a player, much love Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love, who can use his incredible athleticism to score on any play. There is also a new wrinkle in Georgia's rushing attack; their new starting quarterback, Gunner Stockton. Stockton will start in place of Carson Beck, who suffered a season-ending injury against Texas in the SEC championship. Stockton was a five-star recruit coming out of high school who can hurt a defense with his legs. Stockton did not get much playing time this year, but when he came in for an injured Beck, he showed that ability against a very good Texas defense. Stockton's legs will give Al Golden and this Notre Dame defense one more thing to worry about. Altogether, Georgia averages 129 rushing yards a game, which doesn't jump off the page, but Georgia is a team that wants to establish the run to set up their passing attack. Notre Dame will have to figure out how to stop this without one of their best defensive players, Rylie Mills. Mills makes up half of a defensive interior that has been wrecking opposing offenses all year. Mills had been good all year, but hit his stride in the second half of the season. During the season, Mills recorded 37 tackles, nine tackles for loss, and 7.5 sacks. Mills' absence will surely be felt against Georgia, who wants to play a physical game in the trenches. Notre Dame will now look to Donovan Hinish and Gabriel Rubio to fill in for Mills, as they get set to match up against the best offensive line they have played all year. Riley Leonard Needs To Make Plays Riley Leonard has come a long way since the loss to NIU. Following that performance, Leonard has been a more decisive and confident player, which has led to their current 11-game winning streak. During this winning streak, Notre Dame has not been in a lot of close games, resulting in Leonard not being asked to do a lot at the end of games. For the most part, Leonard has led the way as a game manager who takes care of the football and conduct the offense. Against Georgia, this may not be the case. Georgia is possibly more talented than Notre Dame, making is a necessity that Leonard plays his best game yet. Notre Dame is going to need him to make a few plays, whether that's a big throw downfield, or keeping a play alive with his legs. Georgia's defense is going to focus on the run, which gives Leonard openings to find players downfield. These are the kinds of opportunities that he needs to take advantage of for the Irish to win. Notre Dame is going to need Leonard to make a play or two that they are not accustomed to seeing him do. He has shown flashes of it all year, like his touchdown pass to Mitchell Evans against USC, where he perfectly floated a pass over the defender. Georgia's defense is going to play receivers tight, requiring more accurate and on-time passes from Leonard. Overall, Leonard has proven himself to be a quality college quarterback, but he can set himself apart if he plays to his full potential when it is required of him against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. 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Notre Dame's 1,000-yard running back is The Irish Tribune's 2024 Golden Domer of the Year. Art by The Irish Tribune / Image courtesy of Syracuse.com Jeremiyah Love has been a special talent ever since he stepped foot on campus in South Bend. Before acknowledging Love's illustrious accomplishments in his second year at Notre Dame, it is important to understand the journey he took to suit up in the Blue and Gold. As a recruit, Jeremiyah Love was a special athlete. In his senior season, Love rushed for 1,291 yards and 22 touchdowns to lead Christian Brothers (St. Louis) to consecutive Class 6 state championships. With his immense production in his junior and senior seasons, Love was a highly sought-after recruit, with Alabama, Michigan, and Texas A&M being the Irish's main competition for the 2022 MaxPreps Missouri Player of the Year. In addition to tearing up the gridiron, Love was also making waves in track and field, by winning a state championship his sophomore year with a blazing 10.76-second 100-meter dash. In the end, Love pledged his commitment to the Irish and much of that could be attributed to his connection with running backs coach, Deland McCullough. His faith in McCullough has been evident through his time spent with the Fighting Irish. As a summer freshman enrollee, Love found himself near the bottom of the depth chart to begin the season, but his raw athleticism was too much to keep him off the field. While being behind the 2023 winner of the Golden Domer of the Year, Audric Estime, Love was held to merely 71 carries, yet the St. Louis product made the most of his opportunities. Against Ohio State, Love showcased his unique blend of speed and strength by being the change of pace back for Notre Dame and rallying 57 yards. He also made an appearance against the Duke Blue Devils by scampering for 34 yards on a fake punt attempt that extended the Irish's drive and led to a touchdown. Video by ACC Digital Network With Estime opting for the 2024 NFL Draft, Love was set to be Notre Dame's premier running back and he simply did not disappoint. As Notre Dame preps for Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, Love sits with 1,057 yards and 16 touchdowns. He's also added 224 yards through the air and two touchdowns, as well. Let's break down the numbers that have led to Love's true dominance this season. Five 100-Yard Games Throughout Notre Dame's 13 games, Love has accounted for five 100-yard or more games. His most recent 100-yard game was the Irish's first-round playoff game against the Indiana Hoosiers, in which his rushing total was highlighted by his 98-yard touchdown run that opened the scoring effort. Video by ESPN Love's 98-yard home run was even more impressive knowing he was battling flu-like symptoms and still recovering from his leg injury sustained during the regular season finale against the rival USC Trojans. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here While still not being 100%, Love gave the Irish offense the jumpstart they needed and continued to be the backbone of the Notre Dame rushing attack. His other four 100-yard games came against Army (130), Virginia (137), Navy (102), and Purdue (109). In those four games, Love also broke touchdown runs of 68, 76, 64, and 48 yards. It is without a doubt that Love's explosive speed has led to game-changing touchdowns. Every Game Touchdown Scorer Consistency is key, and it is exactly what Jeremiyah Love delivers. Love has recorded a touchdown in all of Notre Dame's games this season and has been Mr. Consistent for Mike Denbrock's offense. During spring ball and fall camp, Denbrock was experimenting with Jeremiyah Love all over the field, most uniquely as a slot receiver, which at the time raised some questions, but it was simply just trying to invent new ways to put Love in space. When Love is out in space, he is a matchup nightmare for anyone trying to tackle him. Love's 7.4 average yards per attempt simply displays how every time he has the ball in his hands, he can take it the distance. While totaling 18 total touchdowns this season, it should be noted that Riley Leonard also has 15 rushing touchdowns himself. If the Irish didn't have a mobile red zone threat, Love's touchdown total could be immensely greater. Gravity-Defying Hurdles While Love's production stayed under the radar for the national media, his two performances against Army and USC garnered him respect nationwide. The two highlight-reel plays he had both featured a new patented move in his repertoire, the hurdle. He debuted the hurdle on his touchdown run against Northern Illinois that has now been lost in the memory of the brutal defeat, but the first hurdle that fans remember is against Army. Video by NBC Sports While his hurdle against the Black Knights seemed to be unable to top, his hurdle in space against the Trojans was a jaw-dropping feat. Not only did Love clear the Trojan defender by jumping and gliding for four yards in the air, but he landed perfectly and then trucked another defender who was too high trying to tackle Love. Video by CBS Sports His blend of speed and added strength this offseason has allowed Love to continue to burn defenses on runs to the outside, but also have the physicality to run between the tackles. Key to Success As Notre Dame prepares to take on the Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl, much of their success will revolve around the ability to run the ball against the daunting Georgia front seven. Jeremiyah Love will once again be the key to Notre Dame's offensive gameplan as the Irish navigate the first year of the extended playoff format. With that being said, we at The Irish Tribune congratulate Jeremiyah Love with the 2024 Golden Domer Award and are excited to watch him grow throughout the rest of his career with the Fighting Irish. Art by The Irish Tribune Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame men’s basketball closed out non-conference play with a victory on Dec 22 against Le Moyne. Now, on the final day on 2024, the Fighting Irish will ring in the new year from Atlanta as they take on the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics   Riding a three-game win streak that dates back to Dec. 7 against Syracuse in the first ACC game of the season, the Irish are playing the best basketball of the season. They’ve won by an average of 15.3 points over the win streak averaging 79 points per game.   These offensive showings have been put on the backs of sophomore guard Braeden Shrewsberry and junior forward Tae Davis, who are experiencing the best seasons of their college careers.   Shrewsberry, who played his season low in minutes against Le Moyne with 28, is averaging 20.3 PPG over the last three games, including a season-high 25 points against Syracuse. In his 37 minutes against the Orange, he shot 8-for-15 from the field including an impressive 6-for-11 from three-point range, the most he’s hit in a game this season. Although the sample size is small, Shrewsberry has proven he can step up in conference play in the absence of sophomore guard Markus Burton. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here   Davis, an Indianapolis native, is another player that has stepped up in a massive way this season. The 6’9” forward has seen improvements in nearly every category, most notably a 6.6 increase in PPG. In his second season in South Bend, Davis is averaging 15.8 PPG, 5.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists.   Looking at the other side, the Yellow Jackets are similar to the Irish on offense. Both teams are in the bottom half of the conference in points per game and both stand in the top ten in three-point percentage. They are led by senior guard Lance Terry who is averaging 15.4 PPG in 13 games played, while shooting 45.1% from the field. He’s one of four players on the Georgia Tech roster with a three-point percentage above 40%, shooting an impressive 41.2% from deep.   Terry, a College Park, Georgia native is coming off a 22-point performance against Alabama A&M this past Saturday after scoring just seven points against fifth-ranked Duke. It was his fourth 20-point outing of the young season as the Yellow Jackets prepare for their third ACC game of the season.   In two conference games so far, the Jackets are 0-2 with losses coming to North Carolina on Dec. 7 and Duke on Dec. 21. In those two games, they are averaging just 60.5 PPG and are losing by an average of 14.5 points. Terry has shot a combined 8-for-28 in those two contests, scoring just 29 points. Thus far, the Yellow Jackets have struggled in their early ACC matchups getting the offense rolling, which is an area the Irish should attack.   One player that has performed well in early conference play is 6’9” forward Baye Ndongo. The sophomore from Dakar, Senegal is averaging 16.5 PPG in the Jackets first two ACC meetings, shooting 13-for-24 from the field. As a rebounder, Ndongo has shown flashes, however remains inconsistent in that area. On the season, Ndongo is averaging 7.1 rebounds per game but was held at bay against the Blue Devils with just one rebound in 31 minutes of play. Duke ended the game out-rebounding Georgia Tech 36-to-25 and won the game by 26 points. While there will be other stat categories to win, the rebounding game is one Notre Dame must win.   Senior guard Javian McCollum, who is one his third team in four years of college, is the biggest threat to the Irish from three. In his first season with the Jackets, McCollum is shooting an average of four threes per game and knocks down 41.7% of those.   After missing four games with a concussion that he suffered on Nov. 23, McCollum has needed time to get settled back in. He started the season scoring in double-figures in the first four games of the season, averaging 31.3 minutes per game. In his first four games back, he’s averaging just 17.8 minutes per game and a measly eight points. He’s coming off one of his better performances of the season against Alabama A&M where he scored 18 points on 5-for-11 shooting in 16 minutes of play. He also knocked down three threes in six attempts.   For Notre Dame, it’s going to come down to the rebounding numbers and getting the Davis-Shrewsberry tandem rolling early. Against an offense that is averaging 76.1 PPG, the Irish will have to limit them to one shot per possession and see Shrewsberry and Davis finish with 20 points. Allowing the supporting cast to chip in is going to be a point of emphasis as well, however it starts at the top.   It's a great chance for the Irish to close out the year on a high note and stay undefeated in conference play. With North Carolina coming to town on Jan. 4, it will be huge to enter that game on a four-game win streak with things rolling in Notre Dame’s direction. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame continues their journey to a National Championship on New Year’s Day at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, against a team that has won two of the last three national titles, the Georgia Bulldogs. We preview the SEC Champs’ defense here: Photo by The Irish Tribune The Bulldogs’ defense features at least six potential 2025 NFL Draftees, including three potential first-round selections. Georgia’s star-studded group has been reliant on the ‘bend but do not break’ philosophy this season. Here is how the Dawgs have fared this season: vs Clemson (in Atlanta, 34-3, Win) vs Tennessee Tech (48-3, Win) at Kentucky (13-12, Win) at Alabama (34-41, Loss) vs Auburn (31-13, Win) vs Mississippi State (41-31, Win) at Texas (30-15, Win) at Florida (in Jacksonville, 34-20, Win) at Ole Miss (10-28, Loss) vs Tennessee (31-17, Win) vs UMass (59-21, Win) vs Georgia Tech (44-42, 8OT Win) vs Texas (SEC Championship in Atlanta, 22-19, Win) Georgia’s defense is allowing 336.5 total yards per game, the ninth-fewest in the SEC and 35th among all FBS teams. Their 20.4 points per game allowed are the seventh-fewest in the conference and 21st in the country. One point of success for the Bulldogs this season has been their third-down defense. Opponents are converting just 33.1% of their attempts, the sixth-lowest percentage in the SEC and 23rd among all FBS teams. The Irish offense will need to execute on these key downs, as they are only converting 40% of their third-down attempts. However, they did do well versus Indiana, converting 7/12 attempts. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Against the pass, Georgia’s defense has been fairly solid. They are allowing 208.7 pass yards per game, the eighth-fewest in the SEC and 50th among all FBS teams. Opposing passers are averaging a 122.09 passer rating, the seventh-lowest rating in the conference and 40th in the country. One reason for this is that they average 2.77 sacks per game (36 total), the sixth-most in the SEC and tied for 20th nationally. Interestingly, Georgia has combined for just eight interceptions this season, tied for the fourth-fewest in the conference. Let’s preview some key players in the Bulldogs’ secondary: The unquestioned leader of the Georgia secondary is junior safety Malaki Starks. The potential 2025 NFL Draft first-round prospect is, in my opinion, the best true safety in the upcoming draft. Starks entered this season with 120 tackles, 14 passes defended, and five interceptions in 29 games played across the last two years. Last season, he was named a consensus First Team All-American and First Team All-SEC selection. This year, the versatile defensive back was named an AP Second Team All-American and, again, a First Team All-SEC selection. Starks has 73 tackles (leads team), three passes defended, and an interception this season. He has at least one tackle in each game including eight games with six or more. He posted a season-high of ten tackles and a pass defended versus Georgia Tech. Starks, who can also play slot corner, has been great against the run and tackler with just six misses this season. In addition, he has been solid in coverage, having allowed 33 receptions for 449 yards and two touchdowns on 50 targets this year. There is no doubt that Starks will make his impact felt this Wednesday.  Another safety featured in this defense is redshirt senior Dan Jackson. He entered this season with 76 tackles, two interceptions, and two forced fumbles in 33 games played across the past three years. Jackson is enjoying a career-best season this year, entering the Sugar Bowl with 60 tackles, three passes defended, two interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. As another versatile defensive back, he has at least two tackles in each game including nine games with four or more. Jackson, who like Starks, can play slot corner, posted a season-high of ten tackles and an interception at Alabama. Overall, Jackson is not a very talented defensive back. The best aspect of his game is coverage, where he has allowed 22 receptions for 167 yards on 31 targets this year. He is a below-average tackler with 13 misses this season including three in the SEC Championship. Additionally, Jackson has no impact against the run. The third true safety to highlight is freshman KJ Bolden. He entered Georgia as a consensus five-star recruit from in-state powerhouse Buford. The All-SEC Freshman Team selection racked up 54 tackles, a sack, an interception, and a forced fumble this season. Bolden has at least two tackles in each game including seven games with five or more. He recorded a season-high of eight tackles versus Tennessee. Overall, Bolden is a well-rounded defensive back with the potential to be one of the best in the country at his position for years to come. He has been good in coverage, having allowed 16 receptions for 102 yards and a touchdown on 27 targets. Additionally, he is a good run-stopper and tackler with just six misses this season.  One starting cornerback for the Dawgs is junior Daylen Everette. Last season, he recorded 29 tackles including three for a loss, five passes defended, and an interception. This year, Everette has totaled 53 tackles, three interceptions, two passes defended, two forced fumbles, a sack, and a fumble recovery. The junior has at least one tackle in 12 games, including six games with four or more. He had a season-high of ten tackles versus Georgia Tech. In addition, Everette was named the SEC Championship Game MVP following his two-interception performance. He has been solid all season, especially in coverage where he has allowed 43 receptions for 532 yards and two touchdowns on 61 targets this year. Everette is an average run-stopper but has struggled with tackling, totaling 13 misses this season including at least one in the last five contests. As a corner, the junior is rarely utilized as a pass rusher, however, he has been very effective in this role when called upon. The final secondary player to highlight is sophomore cornerback Daniel Harris. He is enjoying a breakout season, with 20 tackles and three passes defended in 11 games played. Harris was held out for two games due to “coach’s decision.” He has at least one tackle in ten games and tied his season-high of three in the SEC Championship in addition to a pass defended. Harris has good potential but has struggled all around this season. He is an average run-stopper and tackler with three misses on the year. Also, he has struggled in coverage, having allowed 24 receptions for 390 yards and a touchdown on 36 targets this season. Georgia features a solid rushing defense, allowing 127.8 rush yards per game, the eighth-fewest in the SEC and 36th among all FBS teams. Expect a big game from the Irish rush attack that is averaging 222.4 rush yards per game, the 11th-most in the country. As a team, the Bulldogs average 6.6 tackles for loss per game, tied for the eighth-most in the conference and tied for 32nd in the country. Let’s preview key players involved in this potentially dangerous front seven: The Bulldogs have three solid interior linebackers led by sophomore CJ Allen. Last season, he had 41 tackles including three for a loss, two passes defended, and a sack in 14 games played. This year, Allen has recorded 72 tackles including three for a loss, four passes defended, and an interception. The sophomore has at least one tackle in each game including nine games with five or more tackles. He had a season-high of ten tackles and two passes defended versus Georgia Tech. Also, Allen played well in the SEC Championship when he had seven tackles and a pass defended. Overall, this is a good, well-rounded linebacker. Allen is an elite run-stopper and great tackler with just four misses this season. Additionally, he is a solid pass rusher with 19 pressures on 80 pass rush snaps. Allen has struggled in coverage, having allowed 19 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns on 28 targets. Another featured interior linebacker is senior Smael Mondon Jr. He entered this season with 144 tackles including 13 for a loss, four sacks, two passes defended, and an interception in 26 games played across the last two seasons. The 2023 Second Team All-SEC selection led the Bulldogs with five tackles in their 2022 National Championship victory. The versatile linebacker, who can line up as a slot corner, has recorded 48 tackles including three for a loss, three passes defended, and two sacks in nine games played this season. Mondon missed four games with a leg injury. The senior has at least one tackle in each game played, including eight games with three or more tackles. He had a season-high of 13 tackles including a sack versus Georgia Tech. Mondon is another well-rounded linebacker for this defense. He is a good run-stopper and tackler with three misses this season. In addition, he is a good pass rusher with 13 pressures on 69 pass rush snaps. Mondon has been solid in coverage, having allowed seven receptions for 50 yards on 12 targets. The final true interior backer to highlight is sophomore Raylen Wilson. He is experiencing a breakout season, as he has 42 tackles including seven for a loss, one and a half sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery. Wilson has at least one tackle in each game including a season-high of seven versus Florida. The sophomore is a solid backer; he is a good run-stopper and tackler with just four misses on the year. He is fairly average in coverage, having allowed 10 receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown on 14 targets. Wilson has struggled as a pass rusher with just nine pressures on 66 pass rush snaps this year. Georgia also features the Butkus Award winner, junior linebacker Jalon Walker. The potential 2025 NFL Draft first-round selection is the best true linebacker in the upcoming draft, in my opinion. Last season, he recorded 20 tackles including six for a loss, five sacks, and a forced fumble in 14 games played. In addition to being named the best linebacker in the country, Walker was also named an AP Third Team All-American and Second Team All-SEC selection this year. The versatile backer who is capable of playing ILB or OLB has racked up 58 tackles including 11 for a loss, six and a half sacks (tied for the team lead), and two fumble recoveries this season. Walker has at least two tackles in 12 games, including six games with five or more. The junior recorded a season-best performance of eight tackles, three sacks, and a fumble recovery during the regular season matchup with Texas. Walker is an all-around solid backer; he excels as a pass rusher with 29 pressures on 180 pass rush snaps. He is a good tackler with seven misses this season and has been solid in coverage, having allowed 10 receptions for 89 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. Walker has been fairly average against the run this year. The first of two true outside linebackers is senior Chaz Chambliss. The occasional edge rusher entered this season with 35 tackles including six for a loss, two sacks, two passes defended, and an interception in 26 games played across the past two years. This season, Chambliss has 38 tackles including ten for a loss, six and a half sacks (tied with Walker for the team lead), and a fumble recovery. The senior has at least two tackles in 12 games including a season-high of six with two sacks versus Florida. Overall, Chambliss is a great defender who is an elite tackler with just two misses this year. He has been good against the run and in coverage, having allowed three receptions for 26 yards on four targets. Also, he is a solid pass rusher with 15 pressures on 151 pass rush snaps. The second outside backer to highlight is sophomore Damon Wilson II. As another occasional edge rusher, he has experienced a breakout season with 20 tackles including six for a loss, three sacks, two forced fumbles, and two fumble recoveries. Wilson has at least one tackle in 11 games. He has decent potential but has struggled in certain aspects this year. The sophomore is a solid tackler with five misses and pass rusher with 21 pressures on 210 pass-rush snaps. However, he has struggled against the run and in coverage, having allowed three receptions for 50 yards on five targets this year. In my opinion, the defensive player most capable of blowing up an offensive game plan by himself is junior edge rusher Mykel Williams. The potential 2025 NFL Draft first-round selection is among the top four edge defenders in the upcoming draft. Williams entered this season with 46 tackles including 14 for a loss, nine sacks, two passes defended, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery in 28 games played across the last two years. He was named to the ‘22 SEC All-Freshman Team after recording five tackles and a sack in the National Championship. Last year, Williams was named to the All-SEC Second Team. This season, Williams repeated as an All-SEC Second Team selection as he recorded 20 tackles including nine for a loss, five sacks, and two forced fumbles in 11 games played. The junior missed two games with an ankle injury. He has at least one tackle in nine games including a season-high of five with a sack and forced fumble versus UMass. Additionally, Williams tallied two sacks in both games versus Texas. He is an elite run-stopper and good pass rusher with 26 pressures on 227 pass rush snaps. Also, Williams is a solid tackler with just three misses on the year. This will be the largest test for Notre Dame’s offensive tackles since the season-opener versus Nic Scourton and Texas A&M.  On the interior, Georgia features three solid defensive tackles including senior Warren Brinson. Last season, he recorded 21 tackles including three for a loss and two sacks in 13 games played. This year, Brinson has totaled 24 tackles including six for a loss and two sacks in 11 games played. He missed two games with a lower leg injury. The senior has at least one tackle in eight games including a season-high of five with a sack versus UMass. Brinson is a well-rounded lineman; he is a good run-stopper and tackler with just three misses this season. Also, he is a solid pass rusher with 13 pressures on 209 pass rush snaps. Another tackle to highlight is redshirt sophomore Christen Miller, who has injury concerns heading into the Sugar Bowl. He was experiencing a breakout season before missing the last two games with a shoulder injury. His status for Wednesday is unclear, but expect him to suit up. This year, Miller has recorded 22 tackles including four for a loss and one and a half sacks in 11 games played. He has at least one tackle in each game played including a season-high of four with a sack versus Tennessee Tech. When healthy, Miller has been very good for the Bulldogs. He is a great run-stopper, but it remains to be seen how his injury will affect his play. Miller is also a solid tackler with just two misses and a valid pass rusher with 18 pressures on 185 pass rush snaps. The sophomore’s status will be one to watch as we approach game time.  The final defender to spotlight is redshirt junior lineman Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins. The versatile defender is capable of lining up anywhere on the line. He is enjoying a breakout season with 17 tackles including eight for a loss, three sacks, two passes defended, and a forced fumble. Ingram-Dawkins has at least one tackle in eight games and recorded a season-high of two sacks versus Auburn. The junior is a good run-stopper but struggles as a pass rusher, with 19 pressures on 285 pass rush snaps, and as a tackler, with ten misses this season. How much he plays on Wednesday may be dependent on Miller’s health. The winner of this elite Sugar Bowl matchup will earn a date with Penn State or Boise State in the Orange Bowl on January 9th. While Georgia has the top-end talent splattered throughout their defense, they have shown moments of weakness. It is up to Notre Dame to expose those potential flaws, ideally with a strong rushing performance. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

As 2024 comes to a close, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have a chance to end it on a high note as the (8-5) Virginia Cavaliers travel to South Bend. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics The Notre Dame women’s basketball team has seen plenty of highs and lows through the 2024 calendar year. Since losing to Syracuse on the road on Dec. 31 of last year, the Irish have picked up nine ranked wins, an ACC tournament championship, and a run to the Sweet 16 of last year’s NCAA Tournament. Before turning the page to 2025 however, the Fighting Irish have one final date in Purcell Pavilion against the in-conference Virginia Cavaliers.   The Irish opened conference play back on Dec. 8 against Syracuse on the road, a game that saw them win by 31 points behind Sonia Citron’s 25 points. They are now on a nine-game winning streak in ACC play dating back to Feb. 19, with an average margin of victory of 17.8 points. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Virginia, a team that is coming into Purcell Pavilion with an 8-5 record after a four-game losing streak that trickled into the beginning of December, is led by sophomore guard Kymora Johnson. She’s averaging 18.4 points per game, scoring in double figures in all 13 games this season. Johnson holds a presence all over the floor, grabbing 5.9 rebounds per game, 4.8 assists, and 1.8 steals.   Johnson, a Charlottesville, Virginia native, has taken a leap as a consistent shooter as well. She has seen spikes in both three-point and field goal percentages, shooting 47.2% from the field and 40.3% from beyond the arc. Defensively for the Irish, it’s going to start out front when it comes to slowing down the Cavalier offense that’s averaging just 73.5 PPG.   While the Notre Dame offense has been one of the best in the ACC, averaging 88.8 PPG on 49.3% shooting from the field, this game will be controlled on the defensive side of the ball. The Irish currently leads the conference in rebounds per game with 45.7 per game, giving them an average advantage of 10.8 per game. With 12.83 steals per game and 6.33 blocks per game - both lead the ACC – the Cavaliers ACC worst -1.15 turnover margin is going to be an issue.   Down low, Virginia is anchored by its 6’4” forward Latasha Lattimore who enters averaging 12.8 PPG on 52.7& shooting and 9.3 RPG. Lattimore, a native of Toronto, has been in double figures in five straight games with three double-doubles in that span. In the Cavaliers' most recent game, Lattimore put up 18 points and 10 rebounds in 35 minutes, while also blocking three shots.   The Irish’s main post presence freshman Kate Koval, who is tied for third in the nation with 35 blocks, missed Notre Dame’s last two games. With Koval expected to play, it will be hard to find areas of success for the Cavaliers. Against Syracuse in the Irish’s first ACC game, Koval played 26 minutes, blocking two shots and scoring 12 points.   Senior guard Olivia Miles, who didn’t play her first game of 2024 until Nov. 4, is coming off her third triple-double of the season and fifth of her career. Against Loyola-Maryland, Miles scored 18 points, grabbed 11 boards, and collected 10 assists in the Irish’s 97-54 victory. Miles has been impressive in her return to the team after missing all last season. She’s now averaging a career-high 17.2 PPG on 56.8% shooting while picking up 6.5 RPG and 6.7 APG. She’s attempting the most threes in her career with 4.5 per game and knocking down 2.3 of them giving her a 50% clip from three-point land which is tied for fifth in the nation. Even after tearing her ACL on Feb. 26, 2023, Miles has come back and put up unfair numbers.   Regardless of what either team has, Notre Dame has Hannah Hidalgo and that’s enough to give an opposing team no chance. The sophomore guard is averaging 25.8 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 3.8 APG while collecting an unprecedented 4.3 steals per game.   While she was already one of the best players in the nation during her freshman season, Hidalgo has seen jumps in multiple categories. Her three-point percentage, which has jumped by 10.6%, might be the most important. Despite shooting an average of 1.2 more threes per game in 2024 with 5.4, Hidalgo is knocking down 44.6% of them. It doesn’t matter who is on the floor across from her, Hidalgo is always going to be a mismatch for the opposition with no real answer for how to stop her.   The Irish will not only close out 2024 on Sunday but also set the tone for how 2025 will go. They have a great opportunity at hand to move to 2-0 in conference play as a top-three team in the nation according to the AP Poll. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame continues their journey to a National Championship on New Year’s Day at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, against a team that has won two of the last three national titles, the Georgia Bulldogs. We preview the SEC Champs’ offense here: Photo by The Irish Tribune This Georgia offense features at least eight potential 2025 NFL Draftees, most notably right guard Tate Ratledge, who is easily top-three at his position among other prospects. The Bulldogs’ pass-heavy approach has not always been the greatest, however, they are SEC Champions for a reason. Here is how Georgia has fared this season: vs Clemson (in Atlanta, 34-3, Win) vs Tennessee Tech (48-3, Win) at Kentucky (13-12, Win) at Alabama (34-41, Loss) vs Auburn (31-13, Win) vs Mississippi State (41-31, Win) at Texas (30-15, Win) at Florida (in Jacksonville, 34-20, Win) at Ole Miss (10-28, Loss) vs Tennessee (31-17, Win) vs UMass (59-21, Win) vs Georgia Tech (44-42, 8OT Win) vs Texas (SEC Championship in Atlanta, 22-19, Win) For their season, Georgia averages 33.2 points per game, fifth-most in the SEC and 29th among all FBS teams. In addition, they average 413.8 total yards per game, which is the eighth-most in the conference and 47th in the country.  The Bulldogs find most of their success in the red zone, featuring an elite unit. 93.1% of their trips inside the 20 end up with a score, the best percentage in the SEC, and tied for the fourth-best in the country. On the other side, Notre Dame also features a top-ten red zone defense, only allowing their opponents to score on 73.3% of their red zone trips. Another aspect that the Bulldogs have success with is on fourth down. They have converted 18/24 (75%) attempts, tied for the seventh-best percentage in the country. Conversely, the Notre Dame defense has been great in these situations, holding opponents to just a 34.3% conversion rate, the sixth-lowest percentage in the country.  Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Georgia utilizes a pass-heavy offense that will be without their starting quarterback, Carson Beck. The redshirt senior underwent season-ending elbow surgery after suffering a UCL injury in the SEC Championship, forcing the Bulldogs to turn to redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton. Georgia averages 284.6 pass yards per game, the third-most in the SEC and 12th among all FBS teams. However, their 13 interceptions are tied for the second-most in the SEC. It is uncertain how well Stockton will lead this offense, but we preview the key players involved in the passing game: As just mentioned, Gunner Stockton is expected to be making his first collegiate start of his career. In limited playing time, Stockton has completed 37/51 (72.5%) pass attempts for 354 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions. The redshirt sophomore has appeared in three games this season including the conference championship following Beck’s injury; here is how he has performed: vs Tennessee Tech - 10/12 for 90 yards vs UMass - 3/4 for 45 yards vs Texas (SEC Championship) - 12/16 for 71 yards and an interception In my opinion, Stockton’s inexperience will play a large role in the Sugar Bowl. The offense was not performing up to the “Georgia standard” with Beck, and it is hard to imagine they can turn it around in one game with a backup. This is even more true against a top-15 Notre Dame pass defense, adding in the natural pressure of a playoff game. Bulldogs fans hope Stockton is the next Georgia legend, but other than his accuracy, he has yet to show it.  One of the Bulldogs’ top receivers is senior Arian Smith. The wideout is experiencing a breakout season, after playing a limited role on the ‘21 and ‘22 National Championship teams. This year, Smith has 47 receptions for 750 yards (leads team) and four touchdowns. He has at least one catch in each game, including a season-high of six at Alabama when he recorded 132 yards and a touchdown. Smith has three games with over 100 receiving yards, including a season-high of 134 on five receptions including a touchdown versus Mississippi St. The senior has struggled with drops this season with ten drops on 71 targets. In addition, he had a fumble versus Tennessee. As you will see, these drop issues are a common theme in the Georgia receiver room.  Another starting receiver for the Bulldogs is senior slot man Dominic Lovett. The former Missouri transfer entered this season with 110 receptions for 1,459 yards and seven touchdowns in 26 games played across the last two years in Columbia and Athens. This season, Lovett leads the team in receptions (56) and receiving touchdowns (6) with 571 yards. He has at least three catches in each game including a season-high of seven for 52 yards and a touchdown versus Florida. The senior recorded a season-high 89 receiving yards on six receptions at Kentucky. Lovett will be looking to rebound off his worst performance of the season in the SEC Championship when he had three catches for zero yards. He is a reliable option for whoever is quarterback, with five drops on 87 targets. Lovett also has two fumbles this season. While he may not be the most productive receiver, he is, again, a reliable one. Junior wideout Dillon Bell is another passing-game option for the Bulldogs. Before this season, Bell played a limited role on the ‘22 National Championship team, and last year he recorded 29 receptions for 355 yards and two touchdowns. The junior is having a career-best season this year with 37 catches for 443 yards and four touchdowns in 12 games played. Bell missed Georgia’s contest versus UMass. He has at least one catch in 11 games, including a season-high five receptions for 100 yards, including a 67-yard touchdown  at Alabama. Li ke Lovett, Bell’s worst performance of the season occurred in the SEC Championship, when he finished with no catches on two targets including a drop. Overall, Bell has been solid this season with five drops on 64 targets. The final true wide receiver to highlight is sophomore London Humphreys. The Vanderbilt transfer recorded 22 receptions for 439 yards and four touchdowns last season. Additionally, he was named to the SEC All-Freshman team before transferring to Georgia. In 12 games played this season, Humphreys has 15 catches for 244 yards and two touchdowns. He missed the Alabama game due to an illness. The sophomore has at least one reception in seven games, including a season-high three catches for 63 yards versus Tennessee. Humphreys has been held to zero targets three times this season, including in the SEC Championship. The former Commodore is a solid receiver with two drops on 26 targets. He will not beat the defense over the top, however, he is a threat when he has the ball in his hands with 128 yards after catch this season. The Bulldogs feature a trio of talented tight ends, most notably Lawson Luckie and Oscar Delp. Luckie is a sophomore with 24 receptions for 348 yards and three touchdowns this season. He has at least one reception in 12 games, including a season-high four catches for 60 yards versus UMass. Overall, Luckie is an average tight end; he is a solid receiving option (no drops on 34 targets) and pass blocker, however, he has struggled in run-blocking situations. Junior Oscar Delp is the more experienced tight end. He played in a reserved role on the ‘22 National Championship team, and last season he recorded 24 receptions for 284 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games played. This year, Delp has 19 catches for 230 yards and four touchdowns. The junior has at least one reception in nine games including a season-high four receptions for 56 yards and two touchdowns versus Tennessee. Like Luckie, Delp is a solid receiving option with just one drop on 28 targets, but he struggles as a blocker. Georgia’s best receiving back is redshirt junior Cash Jones. In my opinion, the two-time National Champ is a better receiver than a running back. Jones has 22 receptions for 238 yards and three touchdowns this season. He has at least one reception in ten games including a season-high four receptions for 53 yards and a touchdown versus Georgia Tech. Jones is a reliable, short-yardage option for whoever is quarterback with just one drop on 26 targets. The Bulldogs feature a solid, but underutilized, rushing attack with a duo of talented backs. It would not be surprising if Georgia tries to rush more in the Sugar Bowl, given they will be without their starting quarterback. Their 129.2 rush yards per game are the second-fewest in the SEC, however, their 24 rushing scores are tied for the sixth-most and their 4.2 yards per carry ranks tenth in the conference. We preview the combination of Trevor Etienne and Nate Frazier below: Etienne, a junior, is the more talented runner of the two. The Florida transfer totaled 1,472 yards and 14 touchdowns on 249 carries in 24 games played during his time as a Gator. In Etienne’s first season at Georgia, he has rushed for 571 yards and nine touchdowns on 111 carries in nine games played. The Third Team All-SEC selection missed the last few weeks of the regular season with a rib injury before returning for the conference championship. In the SEC Championship versus Texas, Etienne rushed for a season-high 94 yards on 16 carries including two touchdowns. During Georgia’s first contest at Texas this season, the junior rusher recorded a season-high three rushing touchdowns on 19 carries for 87 yards. Overall, Etienne is one of the more talented rushers in the SEC with 390 yards after contact, 25 missed tackles forced, and one fumble, and he is a capable pass-blocker given his 5-9, 205-pound frame. Etienne’s primary backup is freshman Nate Frazier. The former four-star recruit was an All-American at powerhouse, Mater Dei. The freshman has rushed for 634 yards and eight touchdowns on 129 carries in 12 games played this season. He did not play versus Alabama. The SEC All-Freshman Team honoree has recorded five games with 50-plus rushing yards including a season-high of 136 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries versus UMass. Frazier is a good runner with loads of potential, however, he does have three fumbles this season including one in the SEC Championship so that needs to be cleaned up to give Georgia their best shot at a National Championship. On the line, Georgia’s strength is their interior as they feature three All-SEC players at the center and both guard positions. The Bulldogs’ 4.46 tackles for loss per game allowed are the fourth-fewest in the SEC. Let’s highlight these all-conference performers: The starting left guard is redshirt junior Dylan Fairchild. He is a returning starter from last season and was named to the Second Team All-SEC this year. Fairchild is a great pass blocker who has allowed just ten pressures on 499 pass snaps this season. Additionally, he only has three penalties called against him in the year. In the middle is redshirt junior center Jared Wilson. This season, he has played in 11 games after missing two contests with a foot injury. The Second Team All-SEC selection is another great pass blocker who has allowed just five pressures on 470 pass-block snaps this season. In addition, Wilson is a good run blocker and, like Fairchild, has just three penalties called against him this year. The final player to highlight is, arguably, the most ‘complete’ player on this team. Starting right guard Tate Ratledge is a senior who entered this season with 28 starts across the past two seasons. Last year, he was named an AP Second Team All-American and First Team All-SEC. This season, Ratledge has played in nine games and missed three contests with an ankle injury. He was, again, named to the First Team All-SEC this year. Like Fairchild and Wilson, Ratledge excels in pass protection, with just four pressures allowed on 270 pass snaps this season. He is also a good run blocker and has just one penalty against him this year. How well Gunner Stockton plays could end up being the reason Georgia wins or loses this game. The amount of pressure being placed on this inexperienced backup is hard to transcend for anyone, let alone a young college student making his first career start in the biggest game of his team’s season. Another key will be how Notre Dame’s interior performs versus this talented offensive line without defensive tackle Rylie Mills. If the Irish pass rush gets going, it should be a long night for Stockton and the Bulldogs. The winner of this matchup earns a date with Penn State or Boise State in the Orange Bowl on January 9th. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame is locked and loaded, looking to build momentum after a convincing first round performance. We take a look at how they stack up in the film room against an SEC powerhouse. Photo by The Irish Tribune After a stellar first round performance against Indiana, the Fighting Irish have solidified their belonging in the first ever twelve team playoff. Leading up to their Friday night game vs IU, the talk was about each team's perceived strength of schedule, and who may end up getting exposed. Those questions were quickly answered on the field, as Notre Dame controlled the game from start to finish. The final score did not reflect just how dominating ND was due to some garbage time scoring (which we will revisit later in this article), but it did put the rest of the country on notice that this is a team with as good of shot as any to be the last one standing. The high of such a victory, unfortunately, did not come without some bumps and bruises. More injuries on the defensive side of the ball to players like Bryce Young and Rylie Mills, the latter of which is now done for the season, raises the concern of how long Notre Dame can lean on their depth before it becomes too much to overcome. With a team like the Georgia Bulldogs waiting on deck, we will get an answer to that question sooner than later. Georgia won the SEC Championship after defeating Texas for the second time this season, and yet outside of Athens, there is a sense that this is not the "same old Georgia". After losing to Alabama and Ole Miss, and narrowly getting by teams like Kentucky and Georgia Tech, for the first time in recent memory, Georgia is not the run away favorite. Add in the fact they will now be without their starting quarterback Carson Beck for the duration of these playoffs, and it almost seems trendy for people to pick against Georgia, which has been unheard of over the last few seasons. UGA Head Coach Kirby Smart is a master motivator, and even as his teams were winning back to back National Championships, would lead you to believe they were the underdogs, and no one thought they had a shot. I imagine now that there may finally be some legitimate doubt over what they could accomplish this season, the bulletin board material is endless, and with a roster full of 5-stars that have a chip on their shoulder, in reality they are just as dangerous as ever. Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20  off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Notre Dame will be facing Georgia for just the fourth time in school history, and the last two meetings, 2017 and 2019, were decided by a total of only 7 points combined. This time around should be just as competitive, as both teams are as talented as ever with all of their goals still ahead of them. After breaking down the film from some of Georgia's biggest games this year, these are some things to look for in the 2025 Sugar Bowl. When Notre Dame is on Offense: Georgia is a base 3-4 defense that utilizes a reduced front, meaning the linemen squeeze down making it hard to run inside. Their nose tackle, Nazir Stackhouse, stands at 6'3" and 320 pounds and is hard to move off his spot. This a game to test Georgia's ability to set the edge, as they have had their struggles in that department all year. Alabama found some success using a "pull and pin" blocking scheme, to spring some outside runs which helped them build a big lead in that game. Edge Chaz Chambliss is one of their better pass rushers, but can be moved in the run game. Notre Dame would benefit from running to his side rather than away from him and allowing him to use his speed to shut down plays from the backside. When breaking down their game vs Georgia Tech, I couldn't help but recognize the similarities between Georgia Tech's QB Haynes King and Notre Dame's very own Riley Leonard. King was able to grind out over 100 yards on the ground, and I think for Notre Dame to be successful in this game, Leonard will have to do something similar. The linebackers for Georgia sometimes struggle with eye discipline against the option, and overcommit to the to running back leaving lanes for the QB to pull it and go. They were also gashed for a ton of big plays by Jalen Milroe when they played Alabama, although Milroe presents a different type of threat as a runner. This would be a game for Mike Denbrock, who does have some experience facing Georgia from his time at LSU, to install a lot of pre snap motion and "window dressing". As mentioned above, the linebackers for UGA do let their eyes get caught in the backfield, and even being a half a step late to filling their gap against someone like Jeremiyah Love could lead to some big plays. Where Indiana was a heavy zone coverage team, Georgia is much more balanced mixing in a lot of man. They are hard to beat on the perimeter even when their corners are one on one, but where they can be had is in the short to intermediate passing game. Mixing in some crossing routes to create natural rubs is perfect against man, and because they do trust their linebackers to play coverage, this is a game to get Love involved in the passing game, as I do not think they would be able to cover him one on one. Georgia will run a lot of "cross-dog blitzes", which just means they will send both inside linebackers at once to create a numbers mismatch for the offensive line. When they do this, the middle of the field becomes a soft spot for the defense, and I truly believe Jordan Faison can have a huge game finding the empty area at the second level and just sitting down. In 3rd and passing situations, Love/Price/Williams will need to key the blitzers and do a good job in pass protection, because if they do, the middle of the field will open up for quick throws. Players to Watch No. 11 Jalon Walker - Walker may be Georgia's best pass rusher. He has a good jab step and routinely beats linemen inside with a rip move. Whoever he lines up against must do a good job of not over setting on their kick step. If they get too much depth too quickly, Walker will be able to get inside of them and into the face of Riley Leonard, and that's when disaster could happen. No. 3 CJ Allen - The Georgia linebacker is a big time hitter when coming downhill, and they like to use him as a blitzer as well. Will lose eye discipline occasionally looking to make a big play, and Notre Dame's best bet is trying to keep him off balance. When he is able to key plays and react fast, he lives in the backfield of the offense. Denbrock must give him extra things to think about pre snap. When Notre Dame is on Defense: There is no way around the fact that Rylie Mills being out for this game hurts the Irish. Georgia likes to mix in some "Duo" run blocking concepts. In this situation, the left guard and center will block one interior DT, the right guard and right tackle will block the other, and a tight end will seal the edge defender one on one. When a team runs this, a defensive tackle must be able to hold the point of attack vs the double team, and Mills was more than capable of that. Whoever Notre Dame decides to run out there in his stead will need to play with good leverage and keep lane integrity, or risk the defense getting gashed up the middle. This will be a tough matchup for Notre Dame's linebackers. Georgia runs a lot of 12 personnel on offense, meaning one running back and two tight ends. Both tight ends are good blockers and legitimate threats in the passing game. Out of this formation, they are pretty balanced with what they call, so the linebacking corps for the Fighting Irish needs to not be drawn in too quickly on play-action while still being able to key on the run and get downhill fast enough to beat second level blockers to their spot. Georgia Center, Jared WIlson, does an excellent job getting up on LB's quickly. Georgia's O-line is better in pass protection than they are getting a consistent push in the run game. In obvious passing downs, Notre Dame may need to bring a little extra heat to be able to get home. Gunner Stockton is liable to make some questionable decisions when under duress, so the ability to bring pressure will play a big factor in how this game goes. Throughout the course of the year, UGA's receivers have struggled with drops and contested catches. The defensive backs for Notre Dame really shined against Indiana, and if they can stay in phase and be physical against Georgia's WR's, the advantage goes to Notre Dame the same way Georgia's DB's probably have the upper hand against Notre Dame's receivers on the perimeter. This does not mean Georgia does not have talent on the outside. Arian Smith is an absolute burner, and if he gets a step, he is most likely gone. If ND is going to press or be physical at the line it better be with caution, as missing on a jam against a WR like Smith will spell trouble. Senior wide receiver Dominic Lovett is also a big threat after the catch. Good at making people miss in space and can quickly turn a short gain into a big play. Colbie Young may be their best all around WR, but he is dealing with a personal issue and although it has not been officially announced whether or not he will play in the Sugar Bowl, based off Kirby Smart's stance when the incident initially took place, he is most likely not going to play. Quarterback Carson Beck went down in the second half of the SEC Championship and was replaced by Gunner Stockton. There is not a plethora of film on Stockton, but UGA's offense did change to an extent when he came in. He is not the natural thrower Beck is, and has a much longer wind up and slower release. He is, however, a more fluid runner and they called his number multiple times on designed QB runs. Notre Dame faced Kurtis Rourke in round 1, who is much more of a pure pocket passer. Stockton on the other hand, has no problem looking to leave the pocket and throw on the move or take off when things break down. Notre Dame will need to be disciplined in this area as they haven't played many true dual threat QBs this season. Players to Watch No. 11 Arian Smith - As discussed above, Smith is your prototypical vertical threat. He has track speed on the outside, and it may be beneficial to keep a safety over the top more times than not. He has burned some really good secondary's over the course of the year, and averages over 16 yards a catch. Not as effective when trying to catch the ball in traffic, but if he gets some space he is a game changer. No. 32 Cash Jones - Travis Etienne Nate Frazier get most of the fanfare when it comes to the running back room for Georgia, but Jones is just as dangerous. Primarily used on third down, Jones is an excellent receiving back out of the backfield, and Notre Dame must keep eyes on him as a lot of times he will stay in and block and then release late. Jones was their leading receiver against Georgia Tech, and caught a key touchdown which fueled that comeback victory. Additional Thoughts and Notes Georgia had to play from behind multiple times this year, and a lot of that was attributed to the type of year Carson Beck was having before he got hurt. Coming into the season, many viewed him as a first round NFL type talent, but before his injury, he was struggling with accuracy and taking care of the ball. Still, when UGA had their furious comeback attempt against Alabama, it was due to the arm of Carson Beck. When Georgia needed to erase a 17-point deficit vs Georgia Tech, Beck once again led the way. They have played from behind at various points this season, and I just don't know if they would be able to live like that during these playoffs with Gunner Stockton under center. If Notre Dame can find a way to build a lead, I think it would be a much tougher ask this time around for Georgia to put points on the board in bunches and in a hurry. If Notre Dame finds themselves in that position, they can not let their foot off the gas like they did in the waning minutes vs Indiana, which gave the box score a much different look than how the game actually played out. I still worry about the kicking game for ND. Yes, Mitch Jeter was able to knock through two field goals which was great to see, but both those kicks came with a lead in low pressure points in the game. He also had a third kick blocked, which seemed to have a way lower trajectory than needed considering the distance of the attempt. Kicking is sometimes viewed as being outside the main parts of the game, but the deeper in the playoffs we go, the more talented the teams Notre Dame will face, and the tighter the point margins become. These kicks will be more and more crucial going forward, and I hope he can get back to his South Carolina form where he was 23-25 of FGA's in two seasons. Test number one for the Fighting Irish in these 2024 College Football Playoffs was passed with flying colors. Test number two, a much tougher test, awaits them in New Orleans on January 1st. Notre Dame did not get here by accident, and this is a chance to show the world exactly why they belong on the big stage. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

As the excitement from Notre Dame's victory over Indiana still looms large, here are the key takeaways from the Irish's historic victory over the Hoosiers. Photo by Notre Dame Athletics After a couple of days of reflecting on No. 7 Notre Dame's 27-17 victory over in-state foe No. 10 Indiana, the Irish are still far from their best performance of the season. While their play against the Hoosiers was enough to secure a Sugar Bowl matchup against No. 2 Georgia, here are a few takeaways from this key playoff game. Historic Atmosphere Notre Dame Stadium was electric the entire night. From a rowdiness standpoint, Notre Dame fans had all day to gear up for the nighttime kickoff and create a true home-field advantage for the Fighting Irish: and they did just that. From the introductory videos to the final whistle, Notre Dame fans did their part in making the game a true home-game atmosphere, despite the regulations set in place by the college football playoff committee. The rally towels were a great idea and the return of Irish legends such as Jaylon Smith and Jerome Bettis sure helped energize the crowd. The week's storyline focused on how few 'firsts' remain in Notre Dame football history, but this past Friday night displayed how truly rejuvenated the fanbase is in the Marcus Freeman era. Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20  off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Diminishing All Hope Notre Dame controlled the action for most of the night, except for a brief four-play stretch after the Hoosiers picked off Riley Leonard's deflected pass and converted on one of their back shoulder plays on 3rd and long. Outside of that brief sequence, the Irish controlled the game and never looked back. This is largely thanks to the dominant performance of the Notre Dame defense and the game plan implemented by Al Golden. It is also credited to the consecutive touchdown possessions that were polar opposites. One was the explosive 98-yard run by Jeremiyah Love, who while still dealing with a knee injury and flu-like symptoms, could outrun every one of the Hoosier defenders. The other was the methodical 16-play, 83-yard touchdown drive that spanned 9 minutes. In much of the pregame analysis, Indiana's only shot at winning was due to their stellar run-defense halting the formidable Irish backfield, yet these two drives displayed Notre Dame could do whatever they wanted in this one. Eliminating the Kicking Woes... somewhat It was encouraging to see Mitch Jeter return to form in this game, despite his final kick being blocked due to its low trajectory. The 49-yard field goal that matched Indiana's field goal on the previous possession was instrumental for the Fighting Irish as they desperately needed points to stop Indiana's momentum. In their Irish breakdown video released earlier today, Jeter was quoted as saying "I'm back" on the sidelines. It will be imperative for Notre Dame to get a similar effort from Jeter in the upcoming matchup against Georgia where points will be at a premium. The kicking conditions in Caesars Superdome should also trump the bone-chilling night in South Bend. Marcus Freeman's Growth While Curt Cignetti drew much of the spotlight in this matchup, it was Marcus Freeman who out-coached Cignetti. By burning one of Indiana's second-half timeouts after the Irish came out in an unusual fake field goal formation, Freeman laughed and smiled on the sidelines. It's also unusual that Cignetti's off-the-field bravado didn't carry over into the game atmosphere. On Indiana's field goal drive, they opted to run the ball out of a wildcat formation on 3rd and medium yet jogged the field goal unit out after only picking up a yard. Then, there was the decision to punt the ball down by 17 points and ten minutes left in the 4th quarter. Even his decision to not let his return man attempt to run back a kickoff that barely reached the 10-yard line left ESPN commentator Sean McDonough flabbergasted. It could easily be said that first-time head coach Marcus Freeman, fresh off his new contract extension, out coached the AP coach of the year. The Injury Bug Continues In less satisfying news, Freeman confirmed this morning that Rylie Mills will be out for the rest of the season due to a knee injury. That is now the fourth season-ending injury for this Notre Dame defense, and the second defensive captain to be out for the year. In his last game for the Fighting Irish, Mills was dominant along the defensive line, and this is a brutal injury for Notre Dame to endure before going up the physical line of the Georgia Bulldogs. On the offensive side of the ball, RG Rocco Spindler is questionable to return, with Sam Pendelton being his likely replacement; however, Freeman also said that Charles Jagusah returned to practice this week. While it's unlikely that Jagusah will take over for Anthonie Knapp, who has grown significantly this year, it will be interesting to see if Jagusah could fit into the guard position if Spindler can't go. Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa was also listed as questionable, but Marcus Freeman said that Bryce Young will be good to go against the Bulldogs. As Notre Dame has struggled with injuries all year, it will simply be "next man up" for the Sugar Bowl. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

C/O 2026 4-Star IOL Ben Nichols from Davison, Michigan, has announced his commitment to Notre Dame. He becomes the second offensive lineman to commit to the Irish in the 2026 class. He joins 4-star QB Noah Grubbs, 4-star LB Thomas Davis Jr., 4-star CB Chaston Smith, 4-star Sullivan "Sully" Sullivan, and 3-star WR Dylan Faison, as early commits for the Irish in the 2026 class. Graphic by The Irish Tribune Nichols is a 6'6", 310lbs interior lineman from Davison High School in Davison, Michigan. He is ranked by 247Sports Composite as the 3rd overall IOL in the state of Michigan, the 16th overall IOL in the nation, and the 227th overall best player nationally. Prior to committing to the Irish, he held 19 offers from such notable schools as Alabama, Penn State, Florida State, Ohio State, Tennessee, Iowa, and Notre Dame among others. I had the chance to speak with Nichols, who was happy to share some insight on his decision. The most important part of the recruiting journey is the relationships that are built with the coaches. For Nichols, this was very important to him, and it showed just how much the Notre Dame coaching staff believed in him. "My relationship with the coaches is great, we're on the phone 4-5 times a week just checking up on each other and building our relationship even more. That kind of commitment from them shows how much they care and believe in me, which means a lot to me." An offer is a great achievement, and a true testament to the hard work any recruit has put in. But for Nichols, the offer from Notre Dame meant more, and the excitement of landing an offer from a school like Notre Dame was exactly what he was looking for. "I was super excited to get an offer from Notre Dame just knowing how historical of a program it is and how they develop all their athletes, especially with the offensive line position. The respect the coaches have for their players not only as athletes, but as a person too, means a lot to me and what I'm looking for from coaches at the next level." So why was this offer so special for Nichols? And why did he end up choosing Notre Dame? As he puts it, it was the total package of what he was looking for both on and off the field. "I'm choosing Notre Dame because I not only want to be the best athlete I can be, but I also want to become the best person I can be. They develop their football players into great people both on and off the field, and set them up for success in life after football. The talent they produce is second to none, as they've proven that time and time again, and I want to be a part of that." Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20  off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here For every recruit, there's always a moment when they realize that the place they are meant to be is the particular school they are looking at. For Nichols, this was no different, and he knew early on that Notre Dame was where he was meant to be. "I've known Notre Dame was a top contender in my recruitment since the very beginning. Going to camp and seeing how the coaches work with you and what they're all about really sets them apart from the others. I made other visits, but nothing compared to Notre Dame and I knew early on that Notre Dame was where I was meant to be." So what was it like making the call to the coaches to announce he was committing to Notre Dame? For Nichols, it was an exciting time that drove home that he was making the right decision. "Face-timing Coach Rudolph to let him know that I was committing to the program was an amazing feeling. I called Coach Rudolph, and we spent about 10 minutes catching up, and then I let him know that Notre Dame was home. Seeing the excitement on Coach Rudolph, Coach Freeman, and Chad Bowden's faces was so awesome. They let me know that I was meant to be at Notre Dame, and that they were extremely fired up to have me be a part of the program." What can Notre Dame fans expect to get from a player like Ben Nichols? As he described to me, he's a hard worker who's highly motivated in helping his team be the best they can be. "Notre Dame fans can expect a dawg that comes in every day to work his butt off. No matter what the circumstances are, I will always work as hard as I can every single day to help my teammates be successful. I'm highly motivated and a hard worker, and I can't wait to be around guys with the same mentality as me." For many recruits, it is not uncommon for faith to play a major part in their decision and for Nichols, this was no different. As he described to me, his faith played a major factor and he's very thankful for all the blessings he's received. "I put my faith in God to lead me to the program that would be the best fit for me. I knew that Notre Dame was the place I was meant to be, and God blessed me with the talent and recognition for this opportunity. Without God, I would not be in this position today and I am extremely grateful and blessed for all that he has given me." Ben Nichols is a very talented and humble young man who is continuing to grow and get better each and every day. He’s a hard worker who’s highly motivated to help his team do whatever it takes to succeed. We at the Irish Tribune would like to wish Ben good luck on his journey at Notre Dame! Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun