Noah Cahill
Fresh off its bye week, Notre Dame defeated rival Stanford 49-7 to win the Legends Trophy and improve to 5-1 on the season. The offense had its most complete performance of the season and seemed to cause little concern in the media, which hasn’t been the case in previous weeks. That was until head coach Marcus Freeman made a bombshell in Monday’s press conference. Junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison will undergo hip surgery after the season. It was a devastating blow to a team already plagued by injuries.
That being said, the outlook for Notre Dame’s schedule for the next few games shouldn’t change much. The Irish, who traveled to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on Georgia Tech 5-2, will understandably open the season as comfortable favorites. The Yellow Jackets started the season with what looked like a big win against the then No. 1 opponent. 10 Florida State, then the Seminoles went 1-5, and the result lost its sweetness. Since then, the Yellow Jackets are 4-2 with losses to Syracuse and Louisville. Their offense is led by Texas A&M transfer Haynes King and is off to a strong start to the season. Through seven games, the junior quarterback threw for 1,586 yards and eight touchdowns with only one interception, while adding 352 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton Jr. commanded the bulk of the targets, posting 70 receptions for 908 yards and four touchdowns on the year. Running back Jamal Haynes has improved in Georgia Tech’s last two wins, running for 128 yards against Duke and 170 yards against North Carolina. But they face some defensive questions, especially after giving up 417 yards of total offense in their recent game against the Tar Heels.
Following an underwhelming performance from the defensive line and the loss of Morrison, the Irish defense will welcome the Yellow Jackets’ high-volume offense. Their passing game can be a threat, but I still believe the secondary is well-equipped to shut off the water. I also think there is another opportunity for the offense to take a step forward against the Yellow Jackets defense. This game will remain close until the first half, but I think Notre Dame will come away with an easy victory.
Notre Dame 35, Georgia Tech 14
Matthew Crowe
Notre Dame comes into this game more confident than at any point this season. Despite a series of unfortunate injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, the Irish’s defense and rushing attack feel like the quantities they know will be incorporated to play at an elite level week in and week out. The difference in last Saturday’s 49-7 victory over Stanford was a significant improvement in Notre Dame’s passing game. The Irish coaching staff has hinted at a breakout performance from senior quarterback Riley Leonard following the bye week, with Leonard performing in all aspects, setting season highs with 229 passing yards and three touchdowns. He scored 31 yards and his fourth touchdown of the game. ground. Leonard looked confident in the pocket all afternoon, connecting on multiple downfield passes into tight windows and leading receivers who were held to just one catch for 85 yards last time out against Louisville. I rediscovered my connection to Beau Collins. Additionally, nearly all of that production came in just two quarters, as the Irish overcame an early 15-minute slump and cruised through to the final quarter after a long weather delay. If this is the new normal for Notre Dame’s offense (which added 229 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns), it would be a huge development for the Irish, especially if combined with any of the following: This will be a team that will be difficult for anyone to slow down. Top-class defense in the country.
Georgia Tech, on the other hand, posted a 5-2 record on the season, with two of those losses coming close on the road to Syracuse and Louisville, the top teams in the ACC. The Yellow Jackets’ season-opening win over Florida State has lost a bit of luster in the weeks since, but they enter Saturday’s game on a two-game winning streak, likely with confidence ahead of their expected game. He should play with it. There was a very high-tech crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets have one of the best rushing attacks in the ACC, averaging over 200 yards per game (371 yards and five touchdowns on the ground against North Carolina last weekend), but against the top defenses they’ve faced. I struggle to achieve the same success. Meanwhile, their defense will be looking to bounce back after scoring 34 points in a close game against the Tar Heels.
Georgia Tech will pose a tough test, but if they can put up a hot game against an Irish team that tends to get off to slow starts, this team could win the game. But Notre Dame has won four straight and appears to be finally coming into its own in every aspect of the game. Led by a strong defensive display and another big day for the duo of Leonard and Collins, the Irish improve to 6-1 in impressive fashion heading into a big game against undefeated Navy. is visible.
Notre Dame 38, Georgia Tech 10
Annika Harko
The Yellow Jackets were one of the surprises of the season. One game away from a bowl berth, Georgia Tech’s only losses are to Syracuse and Louisville. They were able to accumulate a lot of points against smaller teams, but lost by a narrow margin to the number one team at the time. No. 10 Florida State looks less impressive as the Seminoles are 1-4 since they met in Dublin in August. Georgia Tech is very motivated to win, but with Riley Leonard now in control of Notre Dame’s offense, the Yellow Jackets will have to wait to earn a bowl berth. Very likely.
Notre Dame’s offense has made a lot of mistakes so far this season. More often than not, it’s been bailed out by the defense, but with Benjamin Morrison added to the long list of defensive players who will be out for the season this week, even against a team that doesn’t expect to play well, mistakes can be made. There is little room for this to be allowed. Ireland’s attacking front has improved in recent weeks and needs to continue that form.
Notre Dame 45, Georgia Tech 14
Madeline Ladd
The Irish had their most complete performance of the season, showcasing their offensive prowess in a decisive win over Stanford. Riley Leonard threw three touchdowns and most importantly completed 72% of his passes, including a 53-yard pass to Beau Collins. Leonard also added his eighth rushing touchdown, further enhancing his dual-threat ability.
Notre Dame is currently playing a decent Georgia Tech team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets shouldn’t be underestimated, fresh off a surprising upset of Florida State in the season opener and subsequent wins over Duke and North Carolina. Their quarterback, Haynes King, offers a similar threat to Leonard with his ability to make plays through the air and on the ground. However, his condition is unclear after sustaining an injury last week.
Georgia Tech’s rushing attack ranks 25th nationally and is helped by explosive Jamal Haynes. His running style is similar to Notre Dame sophomore Jeremiah Love. The Irish defense, which has struggled to concede points at times, will rely on outstanding performances from graduate tackles Riley Mills and Howard Cross last week. The return of senior Gabriel Rubio will also strengthen the lineup. Benjamin Morrison’s absence will test the depth of the secondary as freshman Leonard Moore steps up.
Notre Dame has to get off to a strong start and not give momentum to what should be a 50-50 crowd. If Ireland can capitalize on their attacking momentum and keep up the defensive pressure, they should be able to come away with a win. If King is out of the game, things could get out of hand.
Notre Dame 34, Georgia Tech 17
Tyler Ready
We’ll be watching to see how Notre Dame starts and finishes this game, knowing Georgia Tech and their nasty rushing attack will likely be in this game for a long time. After a slow start against Stanford last weekend, I think the Irish put up at least 10 points in the first quarter. Coach Marcus Freeman’s team will be bracing for playing somewhere other than South Bend for the first time in a month, but the experience of playing in a premier NFL venue like Mercedes-Benz Stadium will be a driving force. It will just happen. Look for Riley Leonard to pound in some early points near the goal line and push turnovers into positive territory for Notre Dame’s defense, which is facing issues without Benjamin Morrison.
From there, Georgia Tech needs to stay calm and keep the Irish on high alert for a rally. The very talented duo of quarterback Haynes King (assuming he plays) and running back Jamal Haynes will be useful on the ground at times. But Notre Dame’s defensive line, which just delivered arguably its best performance of the season a week ago, has the strength to stop them in key moments. I think they’ll get it done and pull away late in the game, which Notre Dame will never trail behind.
Notre Dame 35, Georgia Tech 20
