- Notre Dame will likely fall out of the top ten following last weekend’s loss against Georgia.
- Georgia was seen as the only real contender on Notre Dame’s schedule.
- The Fighting Irish will face 4-0 Virginia next week in South Bend.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Notre Dame played in an intense battle against the Georgia Bulldogs this past weekend. It was the one and only highlight team on the then-No. 10 ranked Fighting Irish’s schedule. It was also the perhaps the only opportunity Notre Dame would get to prove to the College Playoff Selection Committee they were deserving of a spot. After a deflating 23-17 loss, those hopes are now smaller than ever.
The Fighting Irish came into the 2019 season on a hot streak, going 16-1 SU before Saturday’s loss. They began the year with a routing at Louisville, 35-17. The very next week in their home opener, they blew New Mexico out, 66-14. With two solid wins under their belt and all the momentum going forward, one had to believe the game would be much closer than the 16-point underdog they were posted as.
The Fighting Irish got on the scoreboard first with quarterback Ian Book hitting tight end Cole Kmet for the 1-yard touchdown pass. By halftime, the Bulldogs would actually be down 10-7, in favor of Notre Dame. Whatever head coach Kirby Smart told his team during halftime obviously worked. It seemed as if the last half of the game was completely controlled by Georgia.
Fighting Irish Fall To Bulldogs
Alex Fromm played a serviceable game, going for 187 yards on 21/26 passing. Deandre Swift kept the overall offense balanced, rushing for 98 yards on 18 carries as well as a second-quarter rushing touchdown that put Georgia on the scoreboard and spearheaded their comeback. All Notre Dame could do was keep the game competitive. They were held to 44 yards on 14 carries in a game where Georgia’s defense forced the Irish to become completely one-dimensional, ultimately sealing their fate in the second half.
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With college playoff hopes hanging in the balance, Notre Dame would need to win out with some considerable blow out games along the way in order for consideration from the committee. Next on their schedule are the Virginia Cavaliers this Sunday and are currently projected as early 12.5-point favorites at sportsbooks in the USA. Probably an inflated spread due to home-field advantage, but Virginia will be no slouch team.
They’ll arrive in South Bend boasting one of the top defenses in college football as well as a 4-0 record. Also a nice incentive, the Cavaliers are 5-1 ATS in their last six games against an opponent from Notre Dame’s conference, Independence. Notre Dame really needs this game though, in order to keep any playoff hopes alive.
Joshua has been a die-hard Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan since 2007, joining the sports betting world not long after. If he’s not talking or writing about the Bucs, you’ll likely find him in a park somewhere hiking.
