Notre Dame handles Georgia in Sugar Bowl, advances to face Penn State in College Football Playoff semifinal
The College Football Playoff semifinals are set.
Notre Dame rounded out the quartet on Thursday with a dominant win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans. The Irish will play Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Jan. 9 at 7:30 ET.
Texas will meet Ohio State in the other semifinal in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 10 at 7:30 ET.
The Sugar Bowl was delayed a day after a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street in New Orleans in the early hours of Jan. 1 left 15 dead and dozens injured. But the game carried on without issue on Thursday, albeit with a more somber tone and a lighter crowd.
Catch up on what happened at the Sugar Bowl below.
- Featured
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Notre Dame defense ends it!
The Irish deliver a sack to cap off a dominant defense effort and end the game. They're headed to the Orange Bowl now folks!
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Two-minute warning
The Irish are facing a fourth down at midfield but it'll take some sort of miracle for Georgia to come back in this one.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Another Notre Dame first down
The Irish are bleeding precious time off the clock now and the Bulldogs can't seem to stop them.
We're under 3:30 left in the game now.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Notre Dame buys first down with trickery
The Irish were facing a fourth-and-1 and trotted their punt team out...then sprinted the offense back onto the field and Georgia was caught off-guard to the point where one player jumped offside to give the Irish a first down.
There's 7 minutes left in the game.
Somewhere in Detroit, Dan Campbell nods approvingly at Marcus Freeman pic.twitter.com/0wNPGt1ZGy
— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) January 3, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia stuffed on fourth down!
The Bulldogs went for it on fourth down again at the 9-yard line and Gunner Stockton's throw fell incomplete.
It's Notre Dame ball with 9:25 left.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia keeps drive going after penalty
Now it's the Bulldogs moving the ball and into the red zone. They just went for it on fourth-and-13 and drew a pass interference penalty to keep the drive alive.
DPI or nah? pic.twitter.com/Pdu1dKbxP0
— BetMGM 🦁 (@BetMGM) January 3, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Notre Dame kicks FG
The Irish converted on fourth-and-short to extend their drive into the red zone, but an illegal shift penalty moved the ball back and they had to kick a field goal, which Mitch Jeter nailed to extend ND's lead.
Notre Dame 23, Georgia 10
- Yahoo Sports Staff
End of Q3: Notre Dame 20, Georgia 10
The Irish are moving the ball on the ground now and nearing the red zone as the clock expires on the third quarter.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia stopped on 4th down
Now it's the Bulldogs' turn to go for it on fourth down and they can't get it either. The Irish blitzed up the middle and put Gunner Stockton off center. He was still able to find a receiver but it was short of a first down.
Notre Dame ball at its own 42.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Notre Dame stuffed on 4th down
The Irish were facing a fourth-and-1 at midfield and coach Marcus Freeman left his offense on the field. They didn't get it on a draw play by Riley Leonard.
So Georgia will have the ball back at the 50 with 6 minutes left in the third quarter.
A massive play in the game: Marcus Freeman, up 10, goes for it on fourth and 1 at midfield. Riley Leonard falls forward but short.
Georgia ball midway through the third quarter.— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Touchdown Georgia!
The Bulldogs have life after a deep pass play gets them into the end zone for the first time today! The score came on a throw from Gunner Stockton to Cash Jones for 32 yards.
Game on in New Orleans!
Notre Dame 20, Georgia 10
Gunnar Stockton finds Cash Jones for the touchdown!
Georgia is chipping away at ND's lead 👀#SugarBowl pic.twitter.com/pMJwQ7vw7I— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia, Notre Dame trade punts
The Bulldogs couldn't get much going on their first possession of the second half and the Irish only gained 2 yards on their attempt.
Georgia will have it back at its own 38.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Touchdown Notre Dame!
The second-half kickoff is a 98-yard touchdown return by Notre Dame's Jayden Harrison!
What a wild minute of game action in the Sugar Bowl. The Irish have scored 17 points in 54 seconds of game time.
Notre Dame 20, Georgia 3
THAT IS HOW YOU START A SECOND HALF 😤🍀
(via @espn) pic.twitter.com/fweq8OFIYk— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) January 2, 2025
- Nick Bromberg
Notre Dame changes game just like that
Well, the second quarter changed in a hurry, didn't it?
Notre Dame's best offense so far has been Riley Leonard's legs. It's cliché to say that winning the turnover battle is key, but Georgia has turned the ball over twice in bad, bad spots. Trevor Etienne's fumble denied the Bulldogs at least three points, and the strip sack of Gunner Stockton gave Notre Dame 7.
The Bulldogs are not out of this game — the sideline penalty before the field goal was massive. But Georgia is going to have to scheme up a way to solidify the left side of the offensive line.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Halftime: Notre Dame 13, Georgia 3
The Irish changed the vibe of this game in an instance with a late turnover and TD just before the break.
They'll have the ball first when we return from halftime.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Touchdown Notre Dame!
On the very next play, Riley Leonard finds Beaux Collins on a crossing route for a 13-yard touchdown.
What a huge turn of events just before the half!
Notre Dame 13, Georgia 3
Riley Leonard finds Beaux Collins for the touchdown!
Notre Dame leads 13-3. #SugarBowl pic.twitter.com/SkX6dB8Nm7— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Fumble recovered by Notre Dame!
What a massive play by the Irish just before the half! Notre Dame has it at the Georgia 13-yard line after Gunner Stockton fumbled the ball while being sacked.
STRIPPED AWAY! NOTRE DAME BALL! pic.twitter.com/SlC4Bg7Zcf
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Notre Dame takes lead
The Irish are able to take the lead on a long field goal by Mitch Jeter with just over 30 seconds left in the first half.
Notre Dame 6, Georgia 3
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Two-minute warning
We're still deadlocked at 3-3, but the Irish are near midfield as the game ticks toward halftime.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia punts it over
The Bulldogs got consecutive first downs out to near midfield, but the drive didn't go past that.
Notre Dame will have the ball at its own 25.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Notre Dame ties it
The drive fizzles out on the edge of the red zone and the Irish settle for a 44-yard field goal attempt, which kicker Mitch Jeter drills to tie the game.
Notre Dame 3, Georgia 3
- Yahoo Sports Staff
ND's Riley Leonard delivers chunk play
The QB took a designed draw play 29 yards and the Irish are nearing the red zone.
Riley Leonard with a big run pic.twitter.com/gJkHPfIDIP
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia on the board first
The Bulldogs can't do much after the long pass, but it's enough to get them into field goal range and kicker Peyton Woodring drills the 41-yarder.
Georgia 3, Notre Dame 0
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Arian Smith goes deep for Georgia!
Gunner Stockton hits Smith on a 66-yard dime and the Bulldogs have the first gamebreaking play of the game!
A Georgia player impeded a referee on the play as he ran down the sideline, so the Bulldogs were penalized 15 yards on the back end of that one.
gunner stockton to arian smith pic.twitter.com/y5N7LQe6E4
— ◇ (@H00DH3R0) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
ND punts it away
Points will be at a premium in this one folks.
The Bulldogs will have the ball back at their own 21.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
End of Q1: Notre Dame 0, Georgia 0
The Irish have the ball for the moment but they aren't helping themselves with all the penalties. That's 5 for 43 yards in the first 15 minutes.
Oddsmakers figured this would be a low-scoring battle and it's been just that so far.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Fumble recovered by Notre Dame!
The Irish drilled Georgia RB Trevor Etienne in the backfield and the ball popped out! It's recovered by Notre Dame.
What a big early defensive play when it looked like the Bulldogs were going to at least put a field goal on the board if not more.
FUMBLE! IRISH BALL! pic.twitter.com/LpC2xnhDPf
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia on the march
Two passes from Gunner Stockton to Dillon Bell and the Bulldogs are past midfield and nearing scoring range.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Notre Dame punts it back
The opening possession for the Irish doesn't go much better, as they lost 9 yards and went three-and-out.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Two running-into-the-kicker penalties on ND
The Irish have the ball back after two penalties on Bryce Young. He ran into the Georgia punter on consecutive punts, but Notre Dame had buried them behind the sticks.
ND ball at its own 33.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia punts on opening possession
It was short-lived. Notre Dame's defense had Georgia moving backward from there and the Bulldogs are forced to punt.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Georgia drive extended by PI call
The Irish were going to get out of the first possession pretty easy, but a defensive pass interference call has given the Bulldogs a first down.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
We are underway with the Sugar Bowl!
Georgia will start with the ball.
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Rousing rendition of national anthem
A booming finish to the national anthem before the Sugar Bowl. A little extra sauce on the HOME OF THE BRAVE. pic.twitter.com/BdzxJ6CcjU
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 2, 2025
- Ross Dellenger
Moment of silence for the French Quarter victims ahead of the Sugar Bowl. pic.twitter.com/XNDgLBPOAB
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Superdome re-opens from lockdown for Sugar Bowl between Georgia and Notre Dame
- Ross Dellenger
New Orleans BACK pic.twitter.com/wRWTbSeYVu
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 2, 2025
- Ross Dellenger
Three hours into the Year 2025, a man attacked the heartbeat of New Orleans.
For 300 years, the French Quarter has endured hurricanes, floods, a failing infrastructure and, now, a terrorist attack.
From the scene of the crime, where party turned to painhttps://t.co/o8yCsaJAgn— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 2, 2025
- Yahoo Sports Staff
CFP players to watch, key to the Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 2 Georgia
- Yahoo Sports Staff
How this Notre Dame team could finally end program's painful 31-year major bowl losing skid
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Ohio State overwhelms Oregon to win Rose Bowl, secure a matchup vs. Texas
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Texas escapes Peach Bowl with thrilling double-overtime win over Arizona State
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Sugar Bowl postponed to Thursday after Bourbon Street terror attack
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Viewer's guide to the new College Football Playoff
- Yahoo Sports Staff
Good afternoon folks and welcome to our live tracker for the Sugar Bowl!
There's still almost an hour until kickoff, so here's what been going on in the college football world the past couple days.