The Fighting Irish are shifting on within the School Soccer Playoff, as No. 7 Notre Dame took down No. 2 Georgia, 23-10, to earn their spot within the semifinals.
Notre Dame will now face No. 6 Penn State, who beat No. 3 Boise State, on Jan. 9 to find out who will head to the nationwide championship recreation.
This recreation was purported to be performed on Wednesday night time, however the horrific terror assault in New Orleans compelled a postponement to Thursday afternoon. The Caesars Superdome was nonetheless packed for the matchup, the place a second of silence was had for many who have been killed or injured by the mindless act of violence.
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Notre Dame Combating Irish quarterback Riley Leonard appears to be like to move in opposition to the Georgia Bulldogs in the course of the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Thursday. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Pictures)
Chants of “U-S-A!” have been additionally heard earlier than the singing of the nationwide anthem was heard all through the stadium.
As soon as play started, the 2 groups showcased their suffocating defenses, as each have been unable to seek out factors on the scoreboard till the Bulldogs lastly kicked a 41-yard area objective to make it 3-0 early within the second quarter.
It may need been extra, although, as Georgia receiver Arian Smith caught a Gunner Stockton move and took it 67 yards to the Notre Dame 11-yard line. However probably the most odd penalties was known as to again it up 15 yards, as a sideline referee collided with Parker Jones, a walk-on cornerback who hasn’t performed all season and was on the sideline in his jersey with no pads on.
NOTRE DAME DRAWS BACK-TO-BACK RUNNING INTO THE KICKER PENALTIES TO OPEN SUGAR BOWL
The 15-yard penalty ended up hurting Georgia as they settled for a area objective when it might’ve been 4 extra factors.
Notre Dame, nevertheless, wouldn’t solely match that area objective on the following drive, however they took a 6-3 lead with 39 seconds to play when Mitch Jeter drilled a 48-yarder simply earlier than the tip of the half.
The Combating Irish have been probably positive heading into the locker room with the lead regardless of by no means discovering the tip zone, however every little thing modified on the primary play of Georgia’s subsequent drive as Stockton was strip-sacked by linebacker RJ Oben.
Notre Dame Combating Irish defensive lineman RJ Oben, left, knocks the ball free from Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton for a fumble in the course of the first half of the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Thursday. (Stephen Lew-Imagn Pictures)
Because the ball bounced across the turf, Notre Dame’s Junior Tuihalamaka pounced on it and gave quarterback Riley Leonard and the Combating Irish offense the ball on Georgia’s 13-yard line with time to lastly get into the tip zone.
That’s precisely what occurred when Leonard threw a strike to huge receiver Beaux Collins for the 13-yard rating to go up 13-3 on the half.
It was energizing for Notre Dame, contemplating they’d get the ball to begin the second half. And that’s when the sport completely shifted in favor of the Combating Irish.
Jayden Harrison fielded the kickoff for Notre Dame and proceeded to take it to the home — 98 yards down the left sideline to blow the sport open with a 20-3 lead for his squad. Head coach Marcus Freeman was loving each second of it on the sideline as he celebrated along with his crew.
Notre Dame Combating Irish huge receiver Beaux Collins scores a landing in the course of the second quarter of the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Thursday. (Amber Searls-Imagn Pictures)
On the opposite sideline, Georgia head coach Kirby Sensible knew he wanted his boys to kick it into excessive gear, and Stockton was lastly in a position to get certainly one of his teammates ultimately zone within the third quarter when Money Jones was left on their lonesome on a 32-yard wheel route that went for six.
However that’s all of the Bulldogs would get within the second half, as Notre Dame’s protection compelled two turnover-on-downs drives after that, together with a fourth-and-5 incomplete move to Lawson Luckie to ice the victory.
Trying on the field rating, it wasn’t fairly for Leonard, who threw for simply 88 yards, however he didn’t throw an interception and in addition rushed for 65 yards on 11 carries. Broad receiver Jordan Faison additionally supplied some stable manufacturing for Notre Dame with 46 yards on 4 catches.
Notre Dame’s Jayden Harrison celebrates after returning a kickoff 98 yards for a landing in the course of the second half in the course of the Sugar Bowl at Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Thursday. (AP Photograph/Matthew Hinton)
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For Georgia, Stockton was 18-for-29 for 225 yards and his landing move. The Combating Irish have been in a position to stymie Trevor Etienne, the Bulldogs’ hard-nosed operating again, as he had simply 38 yards on 11 carries.
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