Notre Dame Football: Top Storylines vs. Georgia
After a thrashing of New Mexico last week, Notre Dame football is ready for their shot at redemption vs. SEC power Georgia. Here are the top storylines heading into Saturday night.
Well, the wait is (almost) over. Although the season technically started three weeks ago, it feels like this week’s matchup with Georgia truly kicks off the Notre Dame 2019 campaign back to the College Football Playoff.
If you spend any time on social media or listening to the talking heads of college football, it might not seem like the Irish should even show up to Athens. The current national narrative paints a picture that Brian Kelly and company have a less than zero chance at defeating the Bulldogs, and the oddsmakers aren’t too confident either, as the Irish are two-touchdown underdogs.
Just a little over two years removed from the 20-19 thriller between Georgia and Notre Dame in 2017, a game that kick-started Georgia’s path to the National Championship game, these two teams meet again with a lot more at stake.
At the time of that 2017 matchup in South Bend, these two programs were in very different spots compared to where they find themselves currently.
The Irish were ranked No. 24 in the nation while Georgia entered No. 15, and while there’s no denying it was a big matchup for both teams, neither were looked at as title contenders. Georgia was coming off an 8-5 season and was starting a true freshman quarterback in Jake Fromm, while Notre Dame was rebounding from a dismal 4-8 season the year prior.
Since that game, Notre Dame has posted back-to-back 10-win seasons, including an undefeated regular season and College Football Playoff appearance. Georgia, on the other hand, has two straight CFP appearances, a Rose Bowl victory, and National Championship game added to its resume. Both teams changed their culture, reloaded through recruiting, and are now making waves in the CFP discussion just a few years removed from mediocre bowl games and losing records — a testament to the talents of both Brian Kelly and Kirby Smart.
As good as the Irish have been, it is hard to deny how good Georgia has become over the last few years, and how dominant they’ve been so far this season. Granted, they’ve played three straight cupcakes to open their season, but the Bulldogs have outscored their opponents 148-23 and are averaging 585 yards per game — including 286 yards per game on the ground.
On paper, many are not giving the Irish the time of day, especially the SEC homers who can’t wrap their heads around Notre Dame competing with a school from their beloved conference. An Irish victory would not just give Paul Finebaum a heart attack, it would absolutely blow open the CFP race moving forward.
The stage is set for Notre Dame and Georgia to clash in what could be a game with major implications for both teams and the rest of college football – let’s look at the top storylines for this matchup.