Paul Finebaum Rips Georgia For Disastrous Aggressive Decision in Sugar Bowl

Fumble late in first half proved to be a brutal blow.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman RJ Oben (9) knocks the ball loose from Georgia Bulldogs quarterback Gunner Stockton (14) for a fumble recovered by Notre Dame Fighting Irish defensive lineman Junior Tuihalamaka (44) during the first half at Caesars Superdome. / Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

From Georgia's very first offensive possession against Notre Dame in Thursday's Sugar Bowl against Notre Dame, it was clear that the Bulldogs were in trouble. The Irish defense was all over Gunner Stockton, who was making his first career start replacing an injured Carson Beck. Still, Georgia's defense kept them in the game for almost 30 minutes until Kirby Smart's team got the ball at their own 25-yard line down 6–3 with 39 ticks left until halftime.

The choice was to run the clock out and regroup at intermission or try to push the ball down the field for a game-tying field goal. Offensive coordinator Mike Bobo dialed up a pass, which ended in disaster as Stockton was strip-sacked and Notre Dame recovered the ball 13 yards away from paydirt. One play later Riley Leonard found Beaux Collins in the end zone for a 13–3 lead, which Georgia was never able to overcome.

It was a strange choice at the time and indefenisble in retrospect. Paul Finebaum reliably ripped the toxic aggressiveness during a Get Up hit on Friday morning.

"It was just a terrible call in every respect," Finebaum said. "Don't put the game in [Stockton's] hands when you're only three points behind."

"It was just a terrible call in every respect. ... don't put the game in [Gunner Stockton] hands when you're only 3 points behind."

.@finebaum on Georgia's first half aggressiveness against Notre Dame 👀 pic.twitter.com/u8cLkwXfiX

— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) January 3, 2025

Kirby Smart will have a full offseason to ruminate on the choice. If it's any consolation it didn't seem like a victory was in the cards for Georgia even if they'd taken a knee in that situation. Probably not.

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