Notre Dame made quick work of Indiana in round one of the College Football Playoffs and will now take on the SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs in round two.

The Irish and Bulldogs will take the field in New Orleans with a trip to the semifinals on the line. For Georgia, it will do so with a backup quarterback after Carson Beck suffered a season-ending elbow injury against Texas in the SEC Championship.

Notre Dame will enter at full strength behind a strong rushing attack and defense at all three levels.

• Who: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia
• What: Allstate Sugar Bowl – College Football Playoff Quarterfinals
• When: January 1, 2025 at 8:45pm (ESPN)
• Where: Caesars Superdome in New Orleans
• Line: Georgia -1.5 (-115), Notre Dame +1.5 (-105) – Over/Under 44.5

Why Notre Dame will win?

Notre Dame has found its identity under Marcus Freeman this year.

When Riley Leonard entered the program, this gave the Irish an extra piece to an elite rushing attack and the offense has leaned on it all season long. This has led to a long win streak and new hope in South Bend.

On the other side, Georgia has struggled against rushing quarterbacks this season. We saw that especially against Jalen Milroe and Alabama early in the season. Leonard is second on the team in carries (135), rushing yards (751), and rushing touchdowns (15). This has allowed Notre Dame to control the line of scrimmage and time of possession.

The Irish can match up physically in this game. Notre Dame, along with Leonard, features a two-headed monster in the backfield with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Along with an elite defense, Notre Dame can match up at any level.

Why Georgia will win?

Georgia has the overall pedigree.

The Bulldogs have won two National Championships recently and know what it takes to win on the biggest stage. Kirby Smart will have the edge in the coaching matchup just due to overall experience.

How big of a factor will this be? We’ll see once the game kicks off — especially with Georgia running out its backup quarterback.

Gunner Stockton stepped in for an injured Beck in the second half of the SEC title game and helped led Georgia to a victory. The defense also stepped up and made it difficult for the Longhorns to move the football.

This might be the best matchup of the second round because of the similarities and matchups. Georgia can match up physically with Notre Dame when it comes to the trenches and running the football. the Bulldogs also possess weapons on the outside that can break the game.

If Stockton take care of the football and even makes a play or two, Georgia can control the game.