Notre Dame football: Aftermath interview with a Georgia expert

You’ve seen and heard plenty of reactions to Saturday’s game, but how do Georgia fans feel about what went down and what lies ahead for Notre Dame now that the game is over?

I had a chance to bounce some Notre Dame vs. Georgia questions off my boss, Michael Collins, the NCAA edtiorial director at FanSided. In addition to his main role at the FanSided network, he is also a periodic contributor to Dawn of the Dawg, a Georgia resident, and a die-hard Notre Dame fan.

Here’s what Michael had to say about Saturday night and how it shapes the rest of the season.

Slap the Sign: The game was talked about beforehand as one of the potentially most impactful games in regard to the College Football Playoff picture in 2019. Now that it’s over, do you still feel like that’s the case?

Michael Collins: One of the things I like about the playoff format is that it’s very fluid, and what may not have seemed to be a meaningful matchup a month ago can suddenly turn into a do-or-die proposition for both teams. 

I think that’s pretty fair to say, at least right now, that it was the most impactful game we’ve seen or will see for at least a few weeks.

Both teams played an excellent game, so for Georgia, it strengthened their potential claim to a playoff spot. For Notre Dame, a very close loss to a Top 5 opponent on the road in an extremely hostile environment will win them some points with the committee should they run the table for the remainder of the season.

STS: What’s something you saw Georgia do — good or bad — that you weren’t expecting?

MC: I didn’t see Georgia do or not do — good or bad — anything unexpected. I think the Notre Dame offensive and defensive lines were both underrated, and the Georgia lines didn’t have quite as easy a time as expected. But Georgia played their game and capitalized on their opportunities while limiting them for the Irish. 

STS: Same question, but for Notre Dame?

MC: I was a bit surprised at the impact of Cole Kmet. I knew he’d probably have a few targets in his first game back after the broken clavicle, but for him to come out and put on the show he did was kind of surprising.

It was obvious the Bulldog coaching staff didn’t think he’d be that involved either. Along with Ian Book, he’ll become the focal point for defensive coordinators in future matchups.

STS: Did your opinion on either team change as a result of the outcome?

MC: After only two games I wasn’t really sure what to think of Notre Dame. I knew they were better than the team who was schooled by Clemson in the playoff semifinal game last season, but how much better wasn’t clear.

Many dismissed Notre Dame’s ability to defend the run because of struggles against Louisville and New Mexico, but I had a feeling that the combination of early-season jitters and some triple-option looks were more the culprit. The week off (before New Mexico) to prepare for Georgia and study mistakes made in run defense made a big difference. 

I think my opinion of Georgia has improved. They played a full four-quarter game and overcame a pretty big mistake (muffed punt by Tyler Simmons) and came away with the win. In years past, that game would have easily slipped away. As every game is played, I’m more and more impressed with Jake Fromm. When you watch him make his pre-snap reads and set the protections, you’re reminded of how Tom Brady controls his offense. 

STS: Should the loss, in your opinion, automatically, eliminate Notre Dame from College Football Playoff consideration?

MC: No, this loss won’t eliminate Notre Dame at all. A blowout loss might have, but the Irish stood toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the country and were never out of the game.

Make no mistake, the road to the playoff is ultimately more difficult for the Irish given their lack of a conference championship game, so they’ll need to be really impressive for the remainder of the season, but this game is not a disqualifier by any means unless every team they are being measured against is undefeated.