The No. 15 Georgia football team takes on No. 24 Notre Dame on Saturday night in one of the most intersting games of the week.
The Bulldogs will be without starting quarterback Jacob Eason, who picked up a knee injury in the Bulldogs’ first game of the season. Georgia did win that game 31-10 thanks to the stellar play of its defense. Notre Dame also won its first game, beating Temple 49-16.
Here is everything you need to know including game time, tv channel, live updates and more for the Georgia football game.
Georgia Football- Notre Dame: Live updates, score
Headed down to the field
Check back on the site late for news from the locker room.
Blankenship puts Georgia back ahead
Rodrigo Blankenship’s 30-yarder is true, and Georgia leads, 20-19, with 3:34 left.
Now here comes Notre Dame’s offense for what figures to be one last drive. Can Georgia’s defense, which all in all has performed well, make one last stand?
Fromm with a good pass downfield that Wims stopped and made a leaping catch to grab. That was a 31-yarder down to the 17. One play before that, Sony Michel got the ball in the open field on third-and-1 and juked a defender, the got the yards.
Georgia went three plays and couldn’t convert, with Fromm a bit far on a pass to Isaac Nauta in the end zone. That brought on Blankenship.
Your two big stats of the day
1. Nick Chubb: 10 carries for 50 yards.
2. Georgia: 12 penalties for 127 yards.
Penalties, penalties, penalties
Georgia has now committed 12 penalties for a total of 127 yards. And the most recent drive, which saw Notre Dame get a field goal and re-take the lead, featured a couple more.
Two 15-yard penalties helped the Irish downfield: Georgia outside linebacker D’Andre Walker got 15 yards for a facemask, giving the Irish some breathing room when they were pinned around their 10, and then defensive lineman Julian Rochester was called for illegal hands to the face, pushing the ball up near midfield.
Very undisciplined for the Bulldogs, though the Irish haven’t been much better: 8 penalties for 63 yards.
Mecole Hardman
Give Jim Chaney credit, he tried the ol’ Steve Spurrier trick: After a turnover, throw a bomb and try to catch the defense off-balance. It almost worked.
Jake Fromm’s pass may have been just a bit short, but Hardman still should have hauled it in, and instead he bobbled it, allowing the Notre Dame defender to knock it away.
A few plays later the Bulldogs punted the ball back. We’ll see if the missed opportunity ends up looming large.
Lorenzo Carter oh my
The trifecta: Sack. Forced fumble. Fumble recovery.
And that is right there now with the Terry Godwin catch for highlight of the game, and the game-changing momentum play.
Georgia finds an offense, goes back ahead
Just when it looked like the Bulldogs were approaching real danger, they re-took the lead. And may have had some help from the officials.
On a third-down play, Notre Dame’s Julian Okwara was called for a late hit, though Fromm was still barely in bounds when Okwara pushed him out. Ridley’s catch – ruled in bounds on the field and upon review – plus the 15-yard penalty took it to Georgia’s 48.
Then a reverse to D’Andre Swift netted the big gain that was needed: He got free and went 40 yards, with a facemark penalty added on. Two plays later, Michel took an inside handoff and scurried in.
What worked that drive: Jim Chaney called some plays that opened things up, and even if some didn’t produce anything – like a deep pass to Godwin that Fromm overthrew – they set up other plays, such as the Michel touchdown and Swift run.
Notre Dame extends the lead
But it’s still a one-score game. Georgia’s defense bends but then holds when Notre Dame reaches the 20.
That was a big stand by the Bulldogs, as a touchdown, making it a 20-10 game, would have been a pretty big task considering the way Georgia’s offense is playing.
Notre Dame continues to key on the run, not respecting Jake Fromm’s ability to stretch the field. The Bulldogs aren’t trying to go up-tempo to get the pass game going. It seems they’re just hoping for the run game to finally overtake the Fighting Irish, but it’s not happening yet.
A missed field goal
Rodrigo Blankenship’s 44-yard try has too much spin on it, and corks wide to the right. Georgia remains down 13-10.
On the bright side for Georgia, there were signs of opening up the offense on that drive, and some success with it. It did help to get a 15-yard penalty early in the drive, but Sony Michel’s long run up the middle was yet another sign of the tailbacks getting yardage when they have at least an iota of room. And Fromm hit Tyler Simmons on a short pass, which didn’t yield much, but a few more of those quick-hitters can space out the defense and open things up for the tailbacks.
Halftime: Seven thoughts
1. We’re seeing why Jake Fromm being the starting quarterback required some caution. He’s not been as assured and accurate as he was last week, and the best two completions – the 31-yarder and the touchdown – were both due more to Godwin than Fromm.
2. The offense hasn’t been up-tempo, even after completions and good runs. There’s been a lot of looking to the sideline for plays.
3. We haven’t seen Georgia really open it up much on offense. There have been some outside runs and intermediate pass plays, but they’ve been the exception. Rather than try an outside-in strategy – have stretch plays and pass plays try to get Notre Dame off-balance ,and then hit them with the run – it’s been mostly the opposite.
4. Georgia’s defense has been leaky on a few plays, but overall has been very stout. Notre Dame only has 27 rushing yards, and is getting close to nothing on those option runs and outside runs, the plays that probably scared Kirby Smart and Mel Tucker the most. The Bulldogs have done a great job of defending that. This game has so far served as a reminder for how much pure talent is on that side of the ball.
5. Replay reviews have helped Georgia by a measure of eight points: Godwin’s touchdown would have just been a field goal try, and Notre Dame’s kickoff return TD was overruled, with the Irish settling for a field goal. This is an SEC officiating crew, by the way.
6. The Terry Godwin catch is very reminiscent, in action and circumstance, to the A.J. Green catch at Colorado in 2010. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, they lost that game.
7. Georgia looks like the slightly better team, but also the younger team. It’s made more mistakes, including the game’s only two turnovers, and more penalties, particularly early in the game. Georgia gets the ball to start the second half – is that a good thing – so we’ll see if adjustments are made. The defense just needs to keep doing what it’s doing. The offense needs to make some things happen.
Final thought: It feels like Chubb and Michel are this close to imposing their will on the game. Maybe that will happen in the second half. And it looks like it will have to happen for Georgia to win.
A very poor possession for Georgia
Way too conservative. And then a bad throw and a turnover.
Getting the ball at their own 44, and with time to try to get downfield for a field goal, two straight runs up the middle are called. And they’re both stuffed.
Earlier in the half, Jim Chaney should have been going to his tailbacks more. That was a situation where he was probably trying to catch the defense off guard by running up the middle in the two-minute offense. But Notre Dame was ready for it.
Then Jake Fromm tried to fit a pass into coverage and it was picked off. Notre Dame then gets a chance to do something late in the half.
Yuck.
Georgia defense bends, then holds
The front seven remains very salty, up the middle and on the edges. But Georgia’s secondary is still leaky when the quarterback is given time to throw.
Notre Dame has re-taken the lead on a 42-yard field goal, on what was really a one-play drive: The 32-yard pass by Wimbush to Alize Mack. The protection was good for Wimbush, who found Mack wide open on the side.
Terry Godwin – wowsers
It took a replay review, but Georgia’s junior receiver has provided the highlight of the game. You can’t really do it justice by describing it – a one-handed catch while cradling the ball against his shoulder, and getting a foot in bounds – so I assume a GIF will be made available soon.
Georgia has tied it, on a drive that it rediscovered the run game: Sony Michel’s 13-yard burst to the left finally unplugged the offense: It was followed by runs of 4, 4, 9 and 11 yards. Nick Chubb and Michel are getting good yard-after-contact on runs up the middle. They just need the small hole.
Fullback Christian Payne had zero career carries entering that drive – he had two on that drive, both first-down plunges over the middle.
Georgia turns it over, Notre Dame capitalizes
Jake Fromm’s first major mistake leads to a Notre Dame score and a 10-3 lead.
There was a muffed handoff between Fromm and Nick Chubb – though Fromm may have been trying to keep it. The ball hit the ground, then Fromm tried to scoop it up, but a bigger Notre Dame defender jumped on it at Georgia’s 32.
At first Georgia’s defense held firm, but then Notre Dame hit on a tunnel screen, with Josh Adams going 32 yards, and a face-mask penalty taking down to the 3.
It hasn’t been as smooth a follow-up game yet for Georgia’s freshman quarterback. Fromm has misfired on a few passes. And on other plays, apparent RPOs, he has had room to run, it appeared on several plays, but hasn’t taken the chance, or hasn’t seen it.
Defensive domination
Georgia has had three straight three-and-outs.
Notre Dame has had three straight three-and-outs.
But Georgia’s defense …
Is playing as expected, especially the front seven. That’s two straight three-and-outs deep in Notre Dame’s end, with the Fighting Irish not looking capable of anything.
Roquan Smith went from the middle of the field to the sideline to snuff out a Brandon Wimbush run that probably would have been a first down without Smith’s play.
Georgia is keying the option well, and stacking the box. It was also different guys making plays: Walter Grant had the third down stop on the previous drive, after being sent on just for that play, and D’Andre Walker had the stop on first down.
Georgia’s offense …
Jim Chaney apparently doesn’t feel good about Georgia’s ability to pound it. On second-and-2 a pass was called, and Fromm overthrew Godwin on a slant. Then on third down they went Wildcat, and Mecole Hardman was stopped on the right side. They went Wildcat in the red zone on the previous drive.
Nick Chubb only has two carries, and Sony Michel only has one. That’s … surprising.
Kendall Baker is getting his first college start at left guard, and senior Dyshon Sims is at right guard. Not sure if the uncertainty at guard is a reason for this reticence or not.
Georgia gets its own field goal
Rodrigo Blankenship with a 27-yarder to tie it, after Jake Fromm and Sony Michel couldn’t quite connect on a third-down pass. It looked very close to interference, with Michel wanting a flag because he felt he was tripped early. Officials were right there and didn’t call it.
Two big plays on the drive: Nick Chubb had a 30-yard run down the left side, with one man to beat, and couldn’t quite evade him. Then a 31-yard catch by Terry Godwin, stopping to haul in a pass as he straddled the sideline.
So far it looks like Georgia is having trouble pounding it, and is relying early on trying to stretch the field and get outside.
Penalties costing Georgia early
Elijah Holyfield just returned the kickoff inside Notre Dame’s 5 – only to have an illegal block penalty on Jarvis Wilson bring it back.
A holding call just cost the Bulldogs a nice jet sweep run by D’Andre Swift. A couple plays later, Georgia had to punt.
Then a 15-yard penalty on Julian Rochester, illegal hands to the face, took Notre Dame past midfield one play into its next drive.
And then of course the D’Andre Baker pass interference extended the previous drive.
Georgia has already exceeded its penalty yardage from last week’s game (46) less than five minutes into this one.
Notre Dame strikes first
Only a field goal, as Georgia’s defense holds near the red zone. But this comes after a couple key plays in which Georgia’s secondary cost the defense.
First, Deandre Baker’s pass interference on the play’s third game extended the drive. The pass seemed uncatchable near the sideline, but Baker was caught being too aggressive, and unaware.
Notre Dame capitalized with some play-action, with Brandon Wimbush hitting a man downfield for a 29-yard gain. Three plays later, Wimbush passed incomplete, forcing the Fighting Irish to settle for a 39-yard field goal.
Some quick impressions from that drive: Notre Dame’s front is pass blocking well, and got a minor push in the run game. But Jonathan Ledbetter did a good job stopping Wimbush from getting outside on an option run. More big plays like that will be needed.
15:00 Q1: Georgia 0, App State 0
What time is the Georgia football-Notre Dame game?
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium, South Bend, Ind.
Odds: Notre Dame -5.5
What TV channel is Georgia football-Notre Dame on?
NBC will broadcast Georgia football vs. Notre Dame.
Can I watch Georgia football-Notre Dame online?
You can.watch it on NBC Sports Live.
Georgia football-Notre Dame keys to game
1. How does Jake Fromm look?
In place of Eason, Georgia is starting Jake Fromm. The freshman quarterback did get some reps against App State, as he completed 10 of his 15 attempts for 143 yards and a touchdown. But Fromm will be making his first career start on the road in one of toughest environments in all of college football. For what it’s worth, Georgia did Eason’s first road start last year, which came against Missouri.
2. Who wins the matchup between Georgia’s offensive line and Notre Dame’s defensive line?
The strength of the Georgia football team is it’s defensive line, led by Trent Thompson and Jonathan Ledbetter. Notre Dame can say it has one of the best offensive lines in the country with the likes of Mike McGlinchey and Quenton Nelson. Which ever position group comes out on top will play a huge role in determining the game. The Fighting Irish are the betting favorite going into the game, as they are a 5.5-favorite over the Bulldogs, even though Notre Dame went 4-8 last year.
3. Can Georgia contain Brandon Wimbush?
Notre Dame also boasts a former blue chip quarterback in Brandon Wimbush. In his first career start, Wimbush looked impressive as he threw for 184 yards and added another 106 on the ground. If Georgia can keep Wimbush from consistently taking off, it will have to like its chances of knocking off Notre Dame on the road. And that would be a win for Kirby Smart in his second year as Georgia’s coach.
