Notre Dame scored 17 points in 54 seconds bridging the halves in Thursday’s Sugar Bowl and that propelled the Fighting Irish to a 23-10 victory over Georgia.
The win sends Notre Dame into a CFP semifinal in the Orange Bowl against Penn State, which beat Boise State in the first CFP semifinal.
With the game tied at 3 and time running down in the second quarter, Notre Dame kicked a field goal.
Seconds later the Irish recovered a fumble and on their first offensive play got a TD pass from Riley Leonard to Beaux Collins.
After the PAT, it was 13-3 at the half.
Notre Dame received the second half kickoff and it took Jayden Harrison 15 seconds to return it 98 yards for a score.
That basically settled the game as Notre Dame’s physical defense was too much for Georgia’s offensive line and quarterback Gunner Stockton, who started in place of the injured Carson Beck.
The Irish head to Florida with a 13-1 record and Georgia ends its season 11-3.
NOTRE DAME CONFUSES THE ENTIRE GEORGIA FOOTBALL PROGRAM pic.twitter.com/l4Jwj1yadC
— Unnecessary Roughness (@UnnecRoughness) January 3, 2025
It is hard to pick on one play that cost the Dawgs as Notre Dame was too much for them to handle. However, a long gain in the first half was negated when Parker Jones, a player not dressed for the game, was flagged for interfering with an official on the sidelines.
Georgia was given a sideline interference penalty after the official collided with No. 39 Parker Jones during this play. pic.twitter.com/oGpMKUqAr6
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 2, 2025
The flag left the ball at the ND 27 instead of near the 10. The Dawgs only got a field goal out of the drive.
The game was played on Thursday, having been postponed from Wednesday after the tragic events in the French Quarter early New Year’s morning.