Tag: Sugar Bowl

Notre Dame All-Time Bowl History

What is your favorite Notre Dame bowl memory?

Notre Dame has played in 44 bowl games and counting all-time, a number that might seem low considering they’ve been playing football for over 130 years.  However, Notre Dame didn’t play in bowl games out of their belief in amateurism for over 40 years which means for a lot fewer bowl appearances than several other blue-blood programs.

There have been great triumphs and incredible heartbreakers both over those 44 games.

Legends were made, thrilling wins were had, and heartbreaking losses also occurred.

Check out the game-by-game history of Notre Dame in postseason bowl games below.

More Bowl Game History from the College Wire Network:

Alabama / Aub / Fla / LSU / Tenn. / UGA // Mich. / Mich St. / Ohio St. / Wisc. // Okla. / Texas // ND // USC

Tale of the Tape: Notre Dame offense vs. Penn State defense

Can the Irish solve the Nittany Lions’ talented defenders?

It wouldn’t be fair to say Notre Dame’s offense had an impressive showing in the Sugar Bowl. For a variety of reasons, it was one that many might say was consistent with Irish offenses of the past. It did just enough though, so the Irish are heading to the Orange Bowl, one of the semifinals in this year’s College Football Playoff.

While Georgia proved to be forgiving of the Irish’s pedestrian offense, that likely won’t be the case against Penn State, which has perhaps the most stacked defense the Irish will face so far this season. If the Irish’s amazing running corps gets bottled up like it easily could be, that could spell trouble for this game because points will be rare if not impossible. But this season’s Irish have pulled off a lot of shockers, and it wouldn’t be shocking to see one more.

Here’s how the Irish’s offense stacks up against the Nittany Lions’ defense:

Georgia WR on Notre Dame ‘we just handed them success’

Georgia wide receiver Arian Smith after the Sugar Bowl: “They didn’t really do anything to like stop us. We just stopped ourselves.”

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Arian Smith made one of the Bulldogs’ only big plays in UGA’s 23-10 loss to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Sugar Bowl.

After the game, Smith gave credit to Notre Dame, but regretted that the Bulldogs did not play better. He emphasized the mistakes that Georgia made.

“Give all the credit to them (Notre Dame). They did a good job of doing things in all three phases of the game: offense, defense and special teams,” Smith said after the Sugar Bowl.

“It is hard to bounce back when you give up a, I don’t know how long it was, 99 yard kickoff return, have two fumbles and two turnovers and just give them the ball like that,” Smith continued. “We just handed them success, you know. They didn’t really do anything to like stop us. We just stopped ourselves.”

The Sugar Bowl was an evenly matched defensive brawl until Notre Dame scored 17 points in 54 seconds via a field goal, a forced fumble (Notre Dame scored one play later), and a kickoff return for a touchdown to start the second half.

Georgia’s errors combined with Notre Dame’s forced turnovers and kickoff return was a bad recipe for UGA quaterback Gunner Stockton and company. Like much of the 2024 season, Georgia played from behind too often. This time, it came back to bite Georgia.

Notre Dame women’s basketball tipoff time moved up for Orange Bowl

Had to avoid the schedule conflict.

When the Notre Dame football team won the Sugar Bowl, that meant a trip to the Orange Bowl in exactly one week. That meant only half an hour would have separated that game and the women’s basketball team’s home game against Wake Forest. Needless to say, the women’s basketball interest that night would have been almost nonexistent.

So the wise decision was made for the women’s basketball team to tip off against the Demon Deacons at 5 p.m. EST Thursday instead of its original time of 7 p.m. EST. Assuming the game doesn’t go into overtime, that should mean the fans at Purcell Pavilion will have enough time to file out of Purcell Pavilion and go watch the College Football Playoff semifinal game against Penn State somewhere.

Both Notre Dame basketball teams avoided scheduling games on campus for the playoff’s first weekend in case Notre Dame Stadium ended up hosting a game. That’s exactly what happened, and the playoff has caused a basketball schedule alteration once again. Fortunately, this will be the last one because neither team is playing the night of the CFP title game.

Contact/Follow us @IrishWireND on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Notre Dame news, notes and opinions.

Follow Geoffrey on X: @gfclark89

4 stats that defined Georgia’s Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame

Four stats that show where UGA went wrong in their season-ending Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame

The Georgia Bulldogs lost to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 23-10 in a low-scoring Sugar Bowl. Georgia outgained Notre Dame 296 to 244. The Bulldogs held Notre Dame to just 90 yards passing and did not allow the Fighting Irish to score an offensive touchdown all game (that was not off a turnover inside UGA’s own red zone).

Georgia allowed Notre Dame to convert just four of 14 third downs and quarterback Gunner Stockton even put up solid stats in his first career start.

What stats defined Georgia’s Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame?

Seven years and 98 yards

The Georgia Bulldogs had not allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown since Nov. 2018 against Georgia Tech. That changed to open the second half when Notre Dame receiver Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to give Notre Dame a 20-3 lead.

Georgia had a minimal shot of a comeback with back-up quarterback Gunner Stockton leading the charge against an elite defense.

100 yards

Georgia did not rush for over 100 yards for the third time this season. The Bulldogs went 0-3 in games this year where they were held under 100 rushing yards.

Three for three

Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter made all three of his field goals (44 yards, 47 yards and 48 yards). Why is this stat surprising? Entering the Sugar Bowl, Notre Dame’s kicking game had been an absolute disaster. Jeter was eight of 15 on field goal attempts entering the Georgia game.

54 seconds

Amber Searls-Imagn Images

The Sugar Bowl flipped during a 54 second stretch throughout the end of the first half and the start of the third quarter. Notre Dame made a field goal with 39 seconds left in the half. Following a made 48-yard field goal, Notre Dame gave the ball back to Georgia. Before the field goal attempt, Notre Dame had a 57.1% chance to win according to ESPN.

Notre Dame defensive end RJ Oben then went around Georgia left tackle Monroe Freeling to record a strip sack of Gunner Stockton. The Fighting Irish scored a touchdown pass on the next play.

“We made a decision that we were going to be aggressive and we were going to try to go two-minute. And that’s what everything says you should do. You can’t give up possessions when you’re trailing,” said Kirby Smart on his decision to try to score with less than 40 seconds left.

To open the third quarter, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to make the score 20-3. Notre Dame had a 92.5% chance to win. In under a minute, Notre Dame’s chances of winning went up 35.4%.

Social media reacts to Georgia’s Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame

Georgia football fans are coping with the Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame via social media

The Georgia Bulldogs 2024 college football season is over after UGA lost, 23-10, to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Sugar Bowl. Georgia lost the turnover battle, couldn’t establish a consistent running game and allowed a kickoff return for a touchdown. Outside of that, Georgia played pretty well.

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton completed 20 of 32 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown in his first career start. However, Stockton and the Georgia offense stalled multiple times in the red zone. Georgia trailed by at least 10 points throughout the second half, which forced the Bulldogs into obvious passing situations. That was not a recipe for success.

How did Georgia end up in so many obvious passing situations? The Bulldogs allowed 17 points in 54 seconds (from the end of the first half to the start of the second half) after being in a 3-3 tie.

Notre Dame forced a Gunner Stockton fumble as UGA tried to mount a scoring drive with 40 seconds left in the first half. The Fighting Irish recovered the fumble and scored a touchdown.

On the opening play of the second half, Notre Dame receiver Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown to cement Georgia’s doom. The Bulldogs never drew closer than 10 points after that.

What did Georgia Bulldogs fans, media and more say after the Sugar Bowl loss on social media?

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEV_MjRRyu7/

“To think a down year for UGA is winning the SEC and making it to the Sugar Bowl,” said one Georgia fan via social media.

Still Go Dawgs!! We’ll be back better than ever, believe that!!” said Georgia staffer David Cooper.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEWMe07MKKj/

“Notre Dame was the better more physical team. The conference you play in or don’t play in doesn’t matter when you step in between those white lines. Spot the ball and play,” said former Heisman winner Robert Griffin III via social media.

“There is a huge disconnect on offense. That really can’t be argued at this point,” said Georgia football analyst Trent Smallwood.

“Should have known it wasn’t our day when Parker Jones got penalized on our best play of the game,” said former Georgia quarterback Buck Belue via social media.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DEV_4apAVmH/

Best photos from Georgia’s Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame

Best pictures from Georgia’s 23-10 Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame

The Georgia Bulldogs lost 23-10 in the 2025 Sugar Bowl (College Football Playoff quarterfinal) to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Georgia played well defensively, but two turnovers and allowing 17 points (one touchdown after a fumble and a kickoff return for a touchdown) in 54 seconds doomed UGA.

“I think both defenses played well, and we turned the ball over and they didn’t. And they (Notre Dame) gave us problems in the pass game with the sack and the sack fumble. So give them a lot of credit,” said Georgia head coach Kirby Smart after the game.

Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton made his first career start against Notre Dame. Stockton played alright, but the Georgia offense just was not productive enough.

Notre Dame advances to play Penn State in the playoff semifinals. The Fighting Irish outcoached Georgia and run the ball much more effectively than Georgia. UGA finishes the season 11-3 and as SEC champions.

What were the best photos from Georgia’s Sugar Bowl loss to Notre Dame?

ESPN took flak from fans for focusing too much on Georgia’s Parker Jones after his sideline penalty

ESPN dropped the ball on this one, according to some fans.

Georgia football has lots of reasons to be frustrated at itself after losing to Notre Dame on Thursday in the Sugar Bowl, but cornerback Parker Jones should be far, far, far down the list.

The redshirt sophomore walk-on wasn’t even dressed out for the game in New Orleans. However, he cost the team yardage on an explosive play during the first half while celebrating quarterback Gunner Stockton’s 66-yard pass to wide receiver Arian Smith.

Parker bumped into a referee as he celebrated, which got flagged for sideline interference and set the Bulldogs back 15 yards after the big play. To make matters worse, Georgia only got a field goal out of the drive.

It was a tough break for the walk-on cornerback that made it harder for his team to fully capitalize on the Smith catch. However, the penalty was largely inconsequential for how the Bulldogs ultimately lost the game.

Parker’s penalty didn’t overshadow Georgia’s vaunted defense failing to slow down Notre Dame’s offense, Stockton taking time to adjust in his first-ever college start and the Bulldogs’ special teams unit letting up a kick return for a touchdown.

However, some fans weren’t happy with the ESPN broadcast’s insistence to focus on Jones throughout the game after his accidental penalty.

Piling on the poor kid for making an honest mistake as if it had a major impact on Georgia’s lackluster performance just felt unnecessary.

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Photos of Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl win over Georgia

What image will you remember most?

Notre Dame hadn’t won a major bowl game in some time. In fact, the current players were little more than twinkles in their parents’ eyes. That all changed with a 23-10 victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Now, the Irish are in the College Football Playoff semifinals against Penn State via the Orange Bowl. Hardly anyone could have predicted that after the loss to Northern Illinois, but that’s a testament to the unpredictability of this beautiful sport. The Irish have done everything right since then.

It’s hard to imagine such a joyous occasion in New Orleans when the city still was reeling from a New Year’s Day tragedy that delayed the Sugar Bowl by a day. Still, the Irish pulled it off during and after the game while still acknowledging those affected by such a horrific event.

Here’s are some images that the Irish players will recall when and if they ever return to the Big Easy:

Georgia’s season over after 23-10 loss in Sugar Bowl

Georgia’s season is over after another up-and-down performance in the Sugar Bowl

The Georgia Bulldogs lost to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 23-10 in the Sugar Bowl. The Sugar Bowl started out as a low-scoring affair.

Georgia appeared primed to score after quarterback Gunner Stockton, who was making his first start, connected on a deep pass to wide receiver Arian Smith. However, Georgia walk-on Parker Jones got a 15-yard penalty for contacting an official on the sideline during the play to push the Bulldogs out of the red zone.

Several plays later, running back Trevor Etienne fumbled while the Bulldogs were in field goal position. Georgia and Notre Dame traded field goals in the second quarter.

Trailing 6-3, Georgia regained possession with under a minute left in the first half. The Bulldogs elected to stay aggressive, but it backfired. Notre Dame went around Georgia left tackle Monroe Freeling and recorded a strip sack, which set up the Fighting Irish’s only offensive touchdown of the game.

Notre Dame held a 13-3 halftime lead. The Fighting Irish wide receiver Jayden Harrison promptly returned opening second half kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown.

Trailing 20-3, Georgia showed some life. Gunner Stockton found running back Cash Jones for a 32-yard touchdown in the third quarter to cut Notre Dame’s lead to 10. Georgia never got any closer.

Georgia held up well defensively throughout the game. UGA held Notre Dame to just 244 total yards, which is the fewest of any winning team in the College Football Playoff era. However, Georgia’s defense did not force any turnovers or a ton of negative plays.

Georgia finishes the season 11-3 and as SEC champions. Bulldog fans will always wonder “what if Carson Beck was healthy”, but the same mistakes (turnovers and drops) that plagued the Georgia offense all year resurfaced in the Sugar Bowl.

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Georgia could not put together another magical comeback and now faces one of its more unpredictable offseasons in recent memory.