Irish Breakdown

Notre Dame Football: Fast Start Key to Toppling the Georgia Bulldogs

The Irish have had a tendency to start slow in big games in recent history. That can't happen.

Mason Plummer

Notre Dame safety Jordan Clark (1) celebrates his interception during a NCAA college football game against Florida State at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024, in South Bend.
Notre Dame safety Jordan Clark (1) celebrates his interception 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
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When Notre Dame faces off with Georgia on New Years Day in the Sugar Bowl, whichever team starts faster will be the overwhelming favorite to go on and win the game. Notre Dame has played out in front with a lead for the majority of the season and has yet to have to play from behind.

Georgia, ironically, has been a slow starting team that has came from behind to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat on many occasions, including recently against Georgia Tech and Texas.

Notre Dame is not built to play from behind, with it preferring to run the ball offensively and strangle the life out of a game with its tenacious defense.

The only time this season that the Fighting Irish were behind and quarterback Riley Leonard needed to throw the ball to win them the game, he did not get it done against Northern Illinois.

That is not necessarily a knock on Notre Dame, because it means they are consistently scoring points and out front with a lead, but it is good to see teams be battle tested and come from behind to win. Georgia has certainly done that.

This is why it is so vital for Notre Dame to start fast on Wednesday night. While Leonard has improved substantially over the course of the 2024 season, Notre Dame would prefer not to have to put the ball in his hands and force him to make big throws to win them the game.

Notre Dame and Leonard alike are much better off allowing him to use his legs and be creative, while also making short to intermediate throws to move the sticks. The Irish offense is not built for one play, 75-yard strikes through the air.

Notre Dame will need to avoid mistakes and play with a level head in the Sugar Bowl. Marcus Freeman teams tend to rise to the occasion and not faulter under the bright lights, expect that to be the case in this one as well.

Go out and get to a 14-0 lead. Let Georgia try to come back with a quarterback making his first ever start.

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Mason Plummer
MASON PLUMMER

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