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

Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love

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

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

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

Georgia’s defense doesn’t boast the same national ranking as the Irish, but the Bulldogs also have playmakers, most notably Butkus Award winner (best linebacker) Jalon Walker. This matchup should be a defensive battle as each team averages over 1.5 takeaways per game. match.

This is how the two teams stand together: