Notre Dame Players to Watch on Saturday Against Georgia Tech

Can Georgia Tech slow down the Notre Dame stars?

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) passes the ball against the Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)

Notre Dame is the No. 12 ranked team in the AP Poll and has a suffocating defense that can attack you from every angle. Offensively they are led by the rushing attack which has 1,299 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Through the air, Notre Dame has thrown for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns. The Fighting Irish have a competent office and an elite defense that Georgia Tech will have to be ready for. Here are some players to watch. 

QB Riley Leonard- Notre Dame is coming off averaging more than 10 yards per attempt in their win against Stanford. Leonard was 16-22 for 229 passing yards and three touchdowns in the win. It was his best game of the season. This season he has thrown for 979 yards and six touchdowns on a 66.2% completion percentage. Leonard is also the second-leading rusher on the team with 405 rushing yards. He leads the team with eight rushing touchdowns. The Duke transfer has looked good this year after a leg injury limited him to five games. He is on pace to have his best season in terms of completion percentage and is in line to surpass his passing rating from the 2022 season. Leonard has been consistent for the Fighting Irish this season and has rarely turned over the ball. 

RB Jeremiyah Love- Love only had six carries last game but averaged 8.8 yards per rush. He finished with 53 yards and a touchdown. Love is the leading rusher for Notre Dame this season. This season he has rushed for 426 yards and six touchdowns. His best game came against Purdue when he rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown and averaged 10.9 yards per carry. Notre Dame utilizes Love in a multitude of ways. In the passing game through screens and flat routes that he can take the distance. Also, in the running game where he makes defenders miss and open space and even makes highlight reel hurdles like he did on a 34-yard touchdown run earlier this season against Northern Illinois. He is dynamic in the open field and will make you pay if you don’t get him on the ground. Georgia Tech has been doing a lot better against elite running backs and has faced a bunch over the last few weeks. They will have to be ready in this one to slow down Jeremiyah Love. 

Safety Xavier Watts- Watts is probably one of the best safeties in the country. In 2023, he won the Bronko Nagurski award (representing the best defensive player in the county), was a unanimous all-American and led the nation with seven interceptions. In 2024, he will be the fourth-leading tackler on the team with 22. He also leads them in pass deflections (4) and interceptions (2). His best game came against Northern Illinois when he finished with eight tackles and was all over the field. Georgia Tech will have to be careful when throwing into coverage especially with Watts lurking. He has a knack for locating the football and making big plays. 

It will be a difficult test for the Yellow Jackets and they will have to ensure that these players don’t have big games if they want to have a chance at pulling off the upset.

Additional Links:

Georgia Tech vs Notre Dame: National Analyst Makes Prediction For Saturday's Game

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Georgia Tech Football: Three Yellow Jackets & A Position Group to Watch on Saturday Against Notre Dame