Notre Dame overcame a delayed schedule and a determined Georgia team to secure a 23-10 victory in the Allstate Sugar Bowl last night. The game, originally set for New Year's Day, was pushed back 24 hours due to a terror attack in New Orleans, but the Fighting Irish stayed composed to hold off the Bulldogs.
Head coach Marcus Freeman credited his team’s preparation and resilience for the win.
“This will be a 60-plus minute fight,” Freeman said. “Georgia’s been down in nine games this year, and they find a way to come back and win it.”
In the wake of the attack, Freeman gave his players time to process the tragedy and spend moments with their families before focusing on the game.
“I wanted our players to spend some time with their families that were here,” Freeman said. “I think that helped the parents as much as it helped the players.”
Notre Dame’s win propels them to the Capital One Orange Bowl in Miami next Thursday, where they will face Penn State. The Nittany Lions earned their spot with a victory over Boise State in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl.
A win in Miami would advance the Irish to the College Football Playoff National Championship, where they could compete for their first title under Freeman. Now in his fourth year as head coach, Freeman aims to become the sixth coach in Notre Dame history to win a national championship.
“I’m so proud of this program, the team, you know, for the work they put into obtaining the result we got tonight,” Freeman said.
The Irish are just two victories away from glory.
