Georgia vs. Notre Dame football picks: What the oddsmakers are saying

Early odds and predictions for Georgia vs. Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal round after the Fighting Irish dominated the Hoosiers.

Georgia vs. Notre Dame football odds, picks 2024 / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

Notre Dame impressed in the first-ever College Football Playoff game played on campus by dominating Big Ten challenger Indiana, and now embarks on a date against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Indiana’s productive offense had little answer for Notre Dame’s defense in the first round game, scoring just 3 points in the first three quarters before adding 2 touchdowns in the fourth.

Georgia earned a first-round bye in the playoff by beating Texas to win the SEC championship, but the feeling is that the team won’t have quarterback Carson Beck on the field after he suffered an injury to his throwing arm in that game.

What do the wiseguys expect as the Bulldogs prepare to face the Fighting Irish in the postseason?

Let’s take a look at the early predictions for Georgia vs. Notre Dame in the forthcoming College Football Playoff quarterfinal game, according to the oddsmakers.

-

Georgia vs. Notre Dame odds

After the Irish initially opened as a 1 point favorite over the Bulldogs, the teams have switched places, although it’s still a very close line to consider in this game.

Georgia is now a 1.5 point favorite against Notre Dame, according to the updated lines posted to FanDuel Sportsbook for the matchup.

FanDuel lists the total at 44.5 points for the game.

And it set the moneyline odds for Georgia at -115 and for Notre Dame at -104 to win outright.

Georgia: -1.5 (-106)
Notre Dame: +1.5 (-114)

Over 44.5 points: -110
Under 44.5 points: -110

-

Where Notre Dame is right now

In the first-ever College Football Playoff game contested on a campus, Notre Dame dominated Big Ten darling Indiana, raising questions around whether the Hoosiers really belonged on the field.

Indiana had ranked second in the country in scoring offense, averaging more than 43 points per game, but its famous offense failed to generate momentum against the Irish defenders.

Notre Dame held the Hoosiers out of the end zone until the 1:27 mark in the fourth quarter, and its run defense was a particular strength from start to finish.

Indiana mustered just 53 rushing yards in the game, well below its average of nearly 174 yards per game.

Offensively, the Fighting Irish recovered from a sluggish start after quarterback Riley Leonard threw an interception on its second play of the game.

Leonard rebounded to complete 23 of 32 passes for 201 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 30 more yards and another touchdown.

Jeremiyah Love punched a hole through Indiana’s top-ranked rush defense, running for a 98 yard touchdown early on to match a Notre Dame school record.

-

Where Georgia is right now

The big question around the reigning SEC champions is the condition of starting quarterback Carson Beck.

Beck was struck on his throwing arm while attempting a long pass in the final seconds of the first half of the SEC Championship Game, laying on the field for some time as he was evaluated by Georgia’s medical trainers.

The quarterback was ruled out for the rest of the game, replaced by Gunner Stockton at the position, although Beck did return at an opportune moment when Stockton was injured himself.

Moments after Stockton was forced from the game after taking a very hard hit from Texas defender Andrew Mukuba, Beck returned to execute a handoff to tailback Trevor Etienne, who ran for the game-winning touchdown in overtime.

But that might be the last time we see Beck in a Georgia uniform.

In the days after the game, news emerged that Beck was considering an operation to repair his injured elbow, a decision that would keep him off the field for the entire playoff.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart said that Beck is still weighing his options.

“He and his family have been in Jacksonville with his team, his staff, and really, group of people in his family, trying to pursue the best options to go forward,” Smart said.

“But we’ve talked to him. We’ve communicated with him. We’re hoping for the best,” Smart added.

-

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, please call 1-800-GAMBLER.

-

More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams

Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks