Notre Dame Football: Key Defensive Matchups vs. Georgia
By Jack Leniart
Notre Dame is gearing up to take on the Georgia Bulldogs under the lights in Sanford Stadium this Saturday night. Here are some key matchups to look for when the Irish are on defense.
Notre Dame vs. Georgia. Are you tired of reading about this game yet?
No? Well you have come to the right place.
The upcoming game between Notre Dame and Georgia had been dissected and discussed every possible way this week. But I bet you have not heard anyone talk about how good the Bulldog’s running game is! That is because like the Georgia offensive line, I am a trailblazer.
The Notre Dame defense has done little in the first three weeks of the season to inspire hope that they can slow down the Georgia offense. For Irish fans, this was a concern heading into the 2019 season. They knew this game was going to be their greatest challenge.
The Irish defense will be put to the test under the lights in Sanford Stadium. If they are going to leave Athens with a win, they must fare well in the following matchups.
Notre Dame Secondary vs Georgia Passing Attack
When discussing the Georgia offense, most people will focus on their rushing attack. You cannot fault them for doing so, since the Bulldogs are elite in that regard. However, part of the reason why they are so effective running the ball is that their opponents have to respect quarterback Jake Fromm, who is regarded as one of the best quarterbacks in college football.
The 2019 season should be a bit more challenging for Fromm. The Bulldogs have had a ton of turnover at the wide receiver position. Three of their top four receivers last season were selected in the NFL Draft and the other was dismissed from the team this offseason.
Despite all that, the Georgia offense has not missed a beat. The Bulldogs have thrown for 836 yards and seven touchdowns, and they are ranked 11th among FBS teams in passing yards per attempt with an average of 10.3 yards.
True freshmen (and former five star recruits) George Pickens and Dominick Blaylock are first and second on the team in catches and receiving yards through three weeks. Graduate transfer Lawrence Cager, who stands at 6′ 5” and 220 pounds, also figures to be a big contributor.
Notre Dame’s secondary needs to limit big plays in the passing game. Georgia will force opposing defenses to sell out to stop the run and then gash them with play action passes. If the Irish want to win this game, that cannot happen. This is one of the few matchups that favors Notre Dame, and they need to take advantage of that.