Notre Dame’s 23-10 Victory: A Game-Changing Kickoff and Defensive Masterclass
Ultimately, the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish fought back and with a vigor against the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs and scored 23-10 in the Sugar Bowl. This win takes Notre Dame to the College Football Playoff semi-final, where they will be with No 6 Penn State having ousted No 3 Boise State.
Is an online clans gaming context a game played in the shadow of tragedy?
The Sugar Bowl that was expected to take place on Wednesday night was moved to Thursday afternoon due to a terror attack in New Orleans. The Caesars Superdome managed to pay tribute to the victims with a round of silence and then proceeded to sing the national anthem to cheers of ‘U-S-A!’ from the packed stadium.
However, Fighting Irish and Bulldogs came to the field and both teams provided a match that was largely dominated by Defense.
The Structure of a First Half Dominated by the Defense
The first quarter demonstrated the strength of defense of both camps and no team was able to score. The very first scoring chance of the second quarter was when Georgia’s kicker, Jared Zirkel kicked a 41-yard field goal that put Georgia ahead 3-0. But a rather questionable 15-yard penalty on Georgia for crossing the sideline also marred a good drive, which could have been a touchdown.
The Fighting Irish replied with a 48-yard field that was made by Mitch Jeter to take a three-point lead before the second half ended. Several minutes later, the Fighting Irish made something out of a serious turnover when the quarterback Gunner Stockton fumbled the ball which Oben recovered for a sack. Junior Tuihalamaka picked up the fumble and Riely Leonard hit Beaux Collins for thirteen yard touch down pass making the score 13 -3 in favor of Notre Damed at half time.
A Kickoff Start That was a Game Changer
The tide turned very clearly in favor of Notre Dame on the first play of the third quarter. Later on, Jayden Harrison decided the fate of the match with an 80 metre charge on a kickoff which put the Irish 20-3 ahead. Head coach Marcus Freeman jumped with his team as Notre Dame takes the commanding lead over the game.
Georgia tried to make a comeback in the third quarter when Stockton took Georgia deep into Tiger territory and hit Jones on a 32-yard TD pass to make the score 20-10. However, the Bulldogs were unable to fully get in synchronization in the second half due to a furious Notre Dame defense.
It will come as no surprise then that Notre Dame is one for the better defenses out there and they certainly delivered in this game.
The Fighting Irish defense made two fourth down stands in the second half which buried the game in the finality of an incomplete pass on fourth and five. Mitch Jeter added the last thanks to the field goal for Notre Dame and thereby making the final score 23-10.
Key Performances
Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard threw for only 88 yards and while often pressured, he remained calm. He also made 65 rush yards which let him to prove himself as a quarterback, not a runner only. Off the field, Beaux Collins and Jordan Faison came up with significant offense contributions, while Jayden Harrison stunned everyone with his show-stopping kickoff return.
As for Georgia, Gunner Stockton passed 225 yards and a single touchdown but Lost under Notre Dame’s constant pressure. The two key defender of the Irish was evident as star running back Trevor Etienne had only 38 rushing yards with 11 carries.
Looking Ahead
Thus, Notre Dame moves to the next round to another intense face off with Penn State in a show down next Thursday. The winner will be given a ticket to play the national championship game thereby making the Fighting Irish closer to the trophy.
That said, this particular Sugar Bowl victory was not just about football; it was also a victory of the spirit of enduring hope in a society that has suffered one tragedy after another with players and fans getting a relief from all the hardships that have bedeviled this society.
