If 2024 Is Notre Dame’s Year, It Will Overcome Rylie Mills’ Absence

The Irish have found a way to win 11 games in a row, now comes the biggest challenge yet

Notre Dame defensive lineman Rylie Mills (99) celebrates getting a sack during a NCAA college football game against Florida State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend. / MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The timing couldn't be worse on the Mills injury update

There's no way to sugarcoat it, the announcement that star Notre Dame DL and one of the leaders of the team, Rylie Mills will miss the remainder of the CFP due to a knee injury suffered against Indiana is brutal news.

Not just because the Irish are losing one of their best players, but also due to who Notre Dame's next opponent is.

Georgia has a massive offensive line with multiple players weighing in at over the 320 lb mark. The Irish need all the beef that can get in the middle of the defensive line to try to hold up against Georgia's bulk. This would have been a tough ask with Mills healthy, without him in the lineup the task becomes even more challenging.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman has announced that star defensive lineman Rylie Mills is out for the rest of the season. He injured his knee against Indiana. Huge blow for the Irish, as he's an elite defensive lineman and one of the program's best players. pic.twitter.com/mpbXH7w144

— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 23, 2024

Notre Dame has overcome the odds all season, why not do it one more time?

Since the week two loss to Northern Illinois combined with the loss of at least a half-dozen key contributors along both the offensive and defensive lines along the way, Notre Dame has been short-handed most of the season. How have the Irish responded? A "next man up" approach that has resulted in no drop-off in play through an 11-game winning streak.

If this Notre Dame team truly is a team of destiny in 2024, it will find a way to defeat Georgia without Mills in the middle. Other players will step up and make enough big plays that they end up outweighing whatever production loss losing Mills results in.

And if Notre Dame can't overcome this loss? It's a sign that the program doesn't quite have the depth needed to make a true title run, there's more work to be done. Losing Mills is a major blow and that's undeniable, but so has been Notre Dame's resilience in 2024.

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