Notre Dame takes down Georgia 23-10 to win the Sugar Bowl

BIG TIME WIN BOYS!

The Sugar Bowl between the Irish and the Georgia Bulldogs in the College Football Playoff was hailed as the biggest game for Notre Dame in the past 30 years. After all of that time — the Irish finally put decades of misery to bed with a 23-10 win against the SEC Champions.

To say the game was tight to start things off would be a slight understatement. Neither offense looked like it had an answer to what the defenses were throwing at them. The first quarter was a stalemate, and ended 0-0.

Georgia finally got things started with a 55 yard drive in the second quarter that resulted in a 41 yard Peyton Woodring field goal to go up 3-0. Notre Dame answered in kind with a 49 yard drive that ended with a 44 yard field goal to tie things up. After a couple of punt exchanges, the Irish put together a short 32 yard drive that ended with another Jeter field goal, this time a 48 yarder, to go up 6-3 with less than a minute in the first half.

On Georgia’s first play of the next drive, RJ Oben forced a fumble and the Irish recovered on the 13 yard line. On the first play of Notre Dame’s drive — Riley Leonard hit Beaux Collins in the end zone to put the Irish up 13 at the half — 10 points in 11 seconds.

Notre Dame received the opening kick to start the second half, and Jayden Harrison took it back 98 yards for a touchdown to put Notre Dame up 20-3.

Georgia couldn’t answer on its next drive, but the Irish went three and out and had to give up the ball as well. The Bulldogs finally put together a touchdown drive thanks to some players running wide open. Gunner Stockton found a wide open Cash Jones on a wheel route for a 32 yard touchdown reception to make it 20-10.

Notre Dame tried to answer the Georgia touchdown with a scoring drive, but at midfield the Irish were stopped on 4th down and turned the ball over on downs to set the Bulldogs up with great field position. Georgia, however, returned the favor in four plays. The Irish then drove the ball just enough to give Mitch Jeter another change at a 47 yard field goal to make the game 23-10.

Georgia put together a solid drive, but inside the RedZone, Georgia failed on another 4th down attempt. Notre Dame followed that drive with a time consuming drive (with a phenomenal 4th down penalty play) that ended with a punt — but basically ended the game.

Irish win 23-10.

More to come on OFD.