No. 7 Notre Dame's gritty 23-10 Sugar Bowl victory over No.3 Georgia not only ended a 31-year New Year's Six drought but also showcased Marcus Freeman's transformation into one of college football's elite coaches.
Via Notre Dame Athletics
NEW ORLEANS-- No. 7 Notre Dame defeated No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl 23-10 to capture its first New Year's Six Bowl victory in 31 years. It wasn't necessarily pretty by any stretch of the imagination, but the Irish did enough to edge past the Bulldogs.
The first half was indicative of the type of game both teams wanted to play. Physical and run-heavy, but all the momentum lay with Georgia until Trevor Etienne fumbled the ball in the red zone, saving Notre Dame from a 3- or potentially 7-point deficit.
Then at the end of the first half, Notre Dame's 10-point swing, fueled by RJ Oben's strip-sack and Beaux Collins' touchdown catch, put the Irish in the driver's seat heading into halftime.
Then, Jayden Harrison's kickoff return touchdown to start the second half continued to ignite the Irish and padded their lead throughout the game.
Multiple fourth-down stops by the Notre Dame defense—one after the Irish failed to convert on fourth down themselves and another in the red zone—further cemented the team's identity. Whenever the Fighting Irish offense came up short, Al Golden and the Notre Dame defense always had their back.
In the end, it was the consistent play of Notre Dame's offensive line, allowing the Irish to lean on their big guys up front to power past the Bulldogs.
Marcus Freeman's growth as a head coach throughout these three years is mind-boggling. From being embarrassed against Ohio State last year with not having enough players on the field to outsmarting the best coach of college football down the stretch, Freeman has grown into one of the sport's best.
The play of special teams was the difference maker in this game as well. With Mitch Jeter going 3-for-3 on field goals and Harrison's touchdown return, Marty Biagi's unit provided a crucial edge for the Irish in key situations.
The most surprising factor to me in this one was the play of the Notre Dame defensive line against Georgia's dominant offensive line. Junior Tuihalamaka played the best game of his career, and Jaylen Sneed continued to get pressure from his linebacker position.
In the end, the complete team game from Notre Dame was enough to surge the Irish past the Bulldogs. From a box score perspective, there was nothing glamorous about Notre Dame's performance. Riley Leonard was 15/24 for only 90 passing yards, yet his 80 yards on the ground were the Irish's key source of offensive production.
As Notre Dame now looks toward Penn State in the Orange Bowl, the Irish must get as healthy as possible. Jeremiyah Love exited the game with an injury, while Howard Cross and Xavier Watts both had to come out of the game for a couple plays, as well.
It is certainly an entertaining time for Notre Dame fans, and Marcus Freeman's Irish are starting to turn the national narrative surrounding the program on its head.
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