Notre Dame had a chance to make a statement in its opening-round win. Instead, the Irish gave the Georgia Bulldogs all the confidence they will need to win their quarterfinal contest.
The Irish handled Indiana fairly easily, but the lack of a ground game against a lesser foe will have Georgia ready to make the Irish one-dimensional. And if that happens, the Bulldogs will win, even without injured starting quarterback Carson Beck.
Yes, Notre Dame rushed for 193 yards against Indiana. However, 98 of them came on one fluky play early in the game. Jeremiyah Love raced for the long touchdown in the first quarter, giving Notre Dame a 7-0 lead. However, for the rest of the game, the Hoosiers held Notre Dame to 95 yards on 34 attempts. That’s a very poor average of 2.8 per carry.
Bulldogs defense is the X factor
With the quarterback change, don’t look for Georgia to run up and down the field and score touchdowns. But if the Bulldogs keep Notre Dame’s ground game in check, the low-scoring contest will play in their favor.
Gunner Stockton, who takes over for Beck, has the respect of the Irish, according to espn.com.
“He’s not the veteran guy, but at the same time, he’s playing at Georgia,” Kiser said. “He’s their starting quarterback. He was a big-time recruit. I don’t think you can underestimate this dude at all.”
Stockton seems to be facing the situation with wide-eyed enthusiasm.
“It’s awesome,” Stockton said. “I mean, it’s a dream come true. I’m excited and excited for the opportunity. It’s a special opportunity, and I’m enjoying it.”
Kirby Smart believes Stockton is ready
“He’s been raised around football,” said Smart, the Bulldogs head coach. “He’s a coach’s son. All the players play harder for him. Do you make the players around you better is what you look for in a quarterback. I think he raises the skill level of everybody around him because of who he is. So that’s my reason for believing he’s a good quarterback.”
He played well against Texas and should be able to get 17 to 24 points on the board against Notre Dame. That may not seem like a lot, but look for Georgia’s well-rested defense to rise to the occasion and make it work.
Even though the Bulldogs aren’t their usual stubborn defensive selves, they can still get the job done. They played well against Texas and Tennessee. And both of those teams offer more offensive firepower than Notre Dame.
Linebacker Jalon Walker is a key performer and could be a focal point of the attack.
RB Trevor Etienne will make a big difference
This is a game where first downs will matter. Driving the ball into the opponent’s territory, even if it ends in a field goal or no points will still be valuable. Fewer points help the Bulldogs and time of possession will matter a great deal.
Smart said he likes Etienne in many different ways, according to atozsports.com.
“Well, he’s talented, he’s intelligent, he’s a level-headed kid, he’s a good leader, he’s a great kid,” Smart said. “So I think those qualities help anybody play, but he’s older than a freshman. He came into a system that’s not that far off from the one he was in in terms of offense. Maybe different words, but a lot of the same plays. So I think he transitioned well.”
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