Riley Leonard handed for a landing, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a rating, and Notre Dame’s protection made it maintain up in a 23-10 victory over No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday that sends the third-ranked Fighting Irish into the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
In a sport that was delayed by a day due to a lethal terror assault in the host metropolis, Notre Dame (13-1, CFP No. 5) made sufficient huge performs and obtained some assist from a intelligent transfer by coach Marcus Freeman.
Georgia (11-2, CFP No. 2) was in place to shut inside one rating when Notre Dame stopped it on fourth-and-5 from the Irish 9-yard line with 9:29 to go.
Then, on fourth-and-short deep in his personal territory, Freeman despatched the punt workforce out earlier than operating all 11 gamers off the sector and sending the offense out. Georgia raced to match up after which jumped offside because the play clock ticked down, giving the Irish a clock-sapping first down with 7:17 to go.
By the time the Bulldogs obtained the ball again, simply 1:49 remained, and Notre Dame was effectively on its approach to enjoying No. 5 Penn State (13-2, CFP No. 6 seed) in a semifinal on the Orange Bowl in Miami on Jan. 9.
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Georgia entered the sport with out beginning quarterback Carson Beck, who injured his elbow in the Southeastern Conference championship sport. He was changed by Gunner Stockton, who was 20 of 32 for 234 yards and one landing.
Leonard completed with 90 yards passing and a team-high 80 yards speeding.
The sport was tied at 3-all earlier than Notre Dame scored 17 factors in a span of 54 seconds.
The uncommon sequence started with Mitch Jeter’s 48-yard area purpose with 39 seconds left in first half.
Soon after, Georgia paid for an aggressive determination to try a drop-back go from its personal 25. RJ Oben’s blind-side sack triggered Stockton to fumble on the 13, the place Irish defensive lineman Junior Tuihalamaka recovered. Leonard discovered Beaux Collins over the center for a landing on the subsequent play for a 13-3 lead that stood at halftime.
By the time 15 seconds had elapsed in the third quarter, Notre Dame led 20-13.
Harrison took Georgia’s second-half kickoff all the best way to the top zone, slipping a sort out close to the center of the sector, slicing towards the correct sideline and outrunning everybody.
Georgia closed the hole to 20-10 when Stockton hit reserve operating again Cash Jones for a 32-yard rating earlier than Jeter’s third area purpose of the sport made it 23-10.
