ATHENS — The Georgia vs. Notre Dame Sugar Bowl is shaping up as a “pick ‘em” in the court of public opinion.
The betting line flipped from the Irish being favored by 1.5 points, to the Bulldogs being favored by 1.5 points to Georgia being a 1-point favorite at the time of this writing.
And the teams’ CFP quarterfinal game, at 8:45 p.m. on Jan. 1 in New Orleans, is still 11 days away.
Notre Dame has great momentum, and clearly, elite coaching.
Those are two of the most noteworthy things about these Irish.
Georgia has several storylines that should give its fanbase confidence, including three weeks worth of rest and preparation that should ensure the Bulldogs’ best effort.
But Notre Dame is 12-1 with 11 straight wins for more than one reason.
Here are three things about the Irish that jump out about the Irish at first glance:
1. Elite coaching
Georgia fans will remember how Marcus Freeman, once the defensive coordinator for an undefeated Cincinnati team, had then-first year UGA offensive coordinator Todd Monken flummoxed in the 2021 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.
The Bulldogs managed only one touchdown through three quarters before Azeez Ojulari forced a fourth quarter fumble early in the that helped JT Daniels ignite the offense to the 24-21 comeback win.
Notre Dame features proven veteran coordinators in Mike Denbrock and Al Golden, both of whom looked a step ahead of the Indiana staff throughout the Irish’s 27-17 first-round win on Friday night in South Bend, Ind.
2. Quarterback edge
Quarterback Riley Leonard was once on Georgia’s short-list in recruiting circles when Carson Beck was considering an early exit to the NFL last year, and Leonard showed why by displaying good mobility and an accurate passing touch against the Hoosiers’ defense.
Leonard was 23-of-32 passing for 201 yards with a touchdown and interception. Leonard was sacked twice, but he also scrambled for three first downs, gaining 37 yards on the eight carries he had for positive yardage.
Leonard’s field vision was as impressive as his mobility and pocket presence, as he spread his 23 completions out among 10 different receivers.
Defensive power
The best safety in the Sugar Bowl might be Notre Dame senior Xavier Watts, the 2023 Bronko Nagurski winner as the nation’s best defensive player after posting seven interceptions.
Watts, who has six interceptions this season, led the Irish with 10 tackles against Indiana.
Fifth-year defensive tackle Rylie Mills recorded 7.5 sacks for Notre Dame this season and was part of an Irish defense that recorded 10 tackles for loss and three sacks against Indiana.
Mills left the Indiana game with what appeared to be a sprained knee, but Freeman expressed optimism that he’ll be back for the Sugar Bowl.
Senior linebacker Jack Kiser is another player Mike Bobo will have to account for, a seemingly ever-present run stuffer who will challenge Georgia offensive linemen and ball carries.
The Sugar Bowl promises great theater, as Georgia has scored historic wins against Notre Dame during Kirby Smart’s rise among the nation’s top coaches, winning 20-19 in South Bend in 2017, and 23-17 in a 2019 classic in Athens.
The Bulldogs, who will see third-year sophomore Gunner Stockton make his first career start, have been a team of resiliency that has played more close games than their fanbase is accustomed to seeing in one season.
On the surface, this has the look of a physical battle with explosive plays and turnovers providing critical swings, and ultimately, the team that will advance to play in the CFP Semifinal at the Orange Bowl at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 9.
