Under head coach Kirby Smart, Georgia has cemented its reputation as a perennial national title contender.
However, on Thursday night, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish dismantled the Bulldogs 23-10 in the Sugar Bowl, putting an abrupt end to Georgia’s championship dreams.
Notre Dame’s quarterback Riley Leonard repeatedly torched Georgiaās defense with his mobility, and the Fighting Irish defense forced a historic low for Georgiaās offensive output.
After the game, a somber Kirby Smart reflected on the seasonās challenges.
āKirby Smart calls this the toughest year of his Georgia tenure,ā Tyler James of Rivals shared on X.
Smart, who led the Bulldogs to national championships in 2021 and 2022, has enjoyed unprecedented success in recent years.
Georgia entered the 2024 season having won 42 of their last 44 games. But this season proved far more challenging, culminating in the Sugar Bowl defeat.
The heartbreaking loss to Notre Dame marked the third defeat of the season for Georgia, a rare blemish for a program that had avoided such a mark for six years.
The Bulldogs began the year with dominant wins over Clemson and Tennessee Tech, outscoring their opponents 82-6. But cracks began to show early in SEC play.
A nail-biting 13-12 escape against Kentucky set the tone for a difficult conference slate. Georgia later fell 31-24 to Alabama in a hard-fought thriller and suffered a 28-10 upset against Ole Miss in Oxford.
While the Bulldogs rallied to secure victories over Georgia Tech and Texas in overtime, their struggles carried into the postseason.
In New Orleans, Georgia’s offense sputtered, producing just 296 total yards – only 62 of which came on the ground.
The absence of starting quarterback Carson Beck, sidelined with an elbow injury, compounded Georgiaās woes.
Backup Gunner Stockton faced relentless pressure against Notre Dameās fierce defense. (Having said that, Stockton was impressive at times and looks to have a bright future in Athens.)
Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman orchestrated a masterful game plan. In many ways, Notre Dame beat Georgia at their own game.
Freeman’s defense stymied Georgia on third downs, allowing just two conversions out of 12 attempts, and forced two critical fumbles.
Meanwhile, Riley Leonardās legs and toughness proved too much for Georgiaās defense to handle.
Notre Dameās decisive victory not only advanced them to the CFP semifinals – where they will face Penn State – but also capped off a challenging season for Smart and the Bulldogs.
This Sugar Bowl defeat leaves Georgia outside the final four of the expanded 12-team CFP, a stark contrast to their recent dominance.
For Smart, the loss serves as a reminder of how fleeting success can be in college football.
With their sights now set on 2025, Georgia will look to regroup and reclaim their spot among college footballās elite.
Meanwhile, Notre Dame’s resurgence under Freeman continues to make waves, with their sights firmly set on a national title.
What are your thoughts on Kirby’s admission that this was the toughest year of his Georgia tenure???
