Noah Cahill
Coming fresh off the bye week, Notre Dame looked sharp in a 49-7 rout against rival Stanford to secure the Legends Trophy and improve to 5-1 on the season. The offense put together its most complete performance of the season, and seemingly left the media with very few concerns, something that could not be said for previous weeks. That was until head coach Marcus Freeman dropped a bombshell in his Monday press conference: junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison will undergo season-ending hip surgery. For a team already plagued by injuries, it was a devastating blow.
With that said, the outlook on the next few games of Notre Dame’s schedule should not change too significantly. Traveling to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to take on 5-2 Georgia Tech, the Irish unsurprisingly open up as comfortable favorites. The Yellow Jackets began the season with what appeared to be a marquee win against then-No. 10 Florida State, a result that has since lost its merit with the Seminoles now sitting at 1-5. The Yellow Jackets have since gone 4-2 with losses to Syracuse and Louisville. Their offense is led by Texas A&M transfer Haynes King, who is off to a strong start to the season. Through seven games, the junior quarterback has thrown for 1,586 yards and eight touchdowns with only one interception, while adding 352 and six touchdowns on the ground. Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton Jr. command the bulk of targets, combining to haul in 70 receptions for 908 yards and four touchdowns on the year. After a slow start, running back Jamal Haynes has heated up in Georgia Tech’s last two victories, rushing for 128 yards against Duke and 170 against North Carolina. They face several defensive questions, however, especially after surrendering 417 yards of total offense in their most recent contest with the Tar Heels.
Following a dominant performance from the defensive line and after losing Morrison, the Irish defense will welcome a run-heavy attack from the Yellow Jackets. While their passing game could pose a threat, I still believe the secondary is well-equipped to shut off the water. I also see another opportunity for the offense to take a step forward against a Yellow Jacket defense that is there for the taking. This game will stay close for a half, but I see Notre Dame pulling away for a comfortable victory.
Notre Dame 35, Georgia Tech 14
Matthew Crow
I come into this game with more confidence in Notre Dame than I’ve had at any point this season. Despite an unfortunate string of injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, the Irish defense and rushing attack feel like known quantities that can be penciled in to play at an elite level week in and week out. The difference in last Saturday’s 49-7 win over Stanford was Notre Dame’s significant improvement in the passing game. The Irish coaching staff hinted at a breakout performance from senior quarterback Riley Leonard coming out of the bye week, and he delivered in every way possible, posting season highs with 229 passing yards and three touchdowns while picking up 31 yards and a fourth touchdown on the ground. Leonard looked confident in the pocket all afternoon and connected on a number of downfield passes into tight windows, rediscovering his connection with leading receiver Beaux Collins, who racked up 85 yards after being held to just a single catch in his prior outing against Louisville. What’s more, nearly all of that production came in two quarters alone, as the Irish overcame a sluggish opening 15 minutes and coasted through the final quarter after a long weather delay. If this is the new normal for the Notre Dame offense — which added 229 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns — it would be a huge development for the Irish and would make them a tough team for anyone to slow down, especially when combined with one of the nation’s top defenses.
On the other side, Georgia Tech has impressed all season long en route to a 5-2 record, with those two losses coming narrowly on the road against Syracuse and Louisville, two of the ACC’s top teams. While the Yellow Jackets’ season-opening win over Florida State has lost a bit of its luster in the weeks since, they come into Saturday’s game on the heels of two consecutive wins and should be full of confidence playing in front of what will likely be a very pro-Tech crowd at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium. The Yellow Jackets boast the ACC’s top rushing attack at over 200 yards per game (they racked up 371 yards and five touchdowns on the ground last weekend against North Carolina) but have struggled to find that same success against the top defenses they’ve faced. Meanwhile, their defense will be looking for a bounce-back effort after yielding 34 points in a tight win over the Tar Heels.
Georgia Tech will provide a tough test, and if it can get out hot against an Irish team that tends to start slow, this one could go down to the wire. But Notre Dame has won four straight and finally appears to be hitting its stride in all facets of the game. Led by a strong defensive showing and another big day for the Leonard-Collins duo, I see the Irish improving to 6-1 in impressive fashion ahead of a big matchup with undefeated Navy.
Notre Dame 38, Georgia Tech 10
Annika Herko
The Yellow Jackets have been one of the surprises of this season. Now only one game away from bowl eligibility, Georgia Tech’s only losses are against Syracuse and Louisville. While they have been able to rack up a lot of points against small-school teams, their close defeat of then-No. 10 Florida State looks a lot less impressive as the Seminoles have gone 1-4 since their meeting in Dublin in August. Georgia Tech will be highly motivated to come away with a win, but with Riley Leonard getting control of the Notre Dame offense, the Yellow Jackets will likely have to wait to clinch bowl eligibility.
The Notre Dame offense has made a lot of mistakes so far this season. Often, it’s been bailed out by the defense, but with Benjamin Morrison being added to the long list of defensive players out for the season this week, there is very little margin for error, even against teams who are not expected to play well. The Irish offense has been hitting its stride the past few weeks, and it needs to continue that streak.
Notre Dame 45, Georgia Tech 14
Madeline Ladd
The Irish are coming off their most complete performance of the season, showcasing their offense in a decisive win over Stanford. Riley Leonard was successful as he threw three touchdowns and most importantly completed 72% of his passes, including a 53-yard completion to Beaux Collins. Leonard also added his eighth rushing touchdown, further cementing his dual-threat capability.
Now, Notre Dame faces a decent Georgia Tech team at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets, fresh off a surprising upset of Florida State in their season opener and subsequent victories over Duke and North Carolina, are not to be underestimated. Their quarterback, Haynes King, offers a similar threat as Leonard with his ability to make plays through the air and on the ground. However, his status is uncertain after he sustained an injury last week.
Georgia Tech’s rushing offense ranks 25th nationally, aided by the explosive Jamal Haynes, whose running style mirrors that of Notre Dame sophomore Jeremiyah Love. The Irish defense, which has struggled against the run at times, will rely on the standout performances that graduate tackles Rylie Mills and Howard Cross put on last week. Senior Gabriel Rubio’s return will also bolster the lineup. The absence of Benjamin Morrison will test the secondary’s depth, with freshman Leonard Moore stepping up.
Notre Dame must start out strong and not give any momentum to what should be a 50/50 crowd. If the Irish can harness their offensive momentum and maintain defensive pressure, they should emerge victorious. If King is out of the game, it could get out of hand.
Notre Dame 34, Georgia Tech 17
Tyler Reidy
Knowing that Georgia Tech and its pesky rushing offense are likely to hang around in this game, I’m keeping my eye on how Notre Dame starts and finishes this one. After getting out of the gate slowly last weekend against Stanford, I think the Irish put up at least 10 points in the first quarter. Marcus Freeman’s men will be amped up to play somewhere other than South Bend for the first time in a month, and the experience of playing in a first-class NFL venue like Mercedes-Benz Stadium should only add to that fuel. Expect Riley Leonard to punch in an early score at the goal line and Notre Dame’s defense, facing questions without Benjamin Morrison, to force a turnover in plus territory.
From there, Georgia Tech should settle in and keep the Irish on high alert for a rally. The highly effective duo of quarterback Haynes King (assuming he plays) and running back Jamal Haynes will have their way at times on the ground. But Notre Dame’s defensive line, which just had arguably its best performance of the season a week ago has the strength to hold them back in the big moments. I think they’ll get that done, and Notre Dame will pull away late in a game it never trails.
Notre Dame 35, Georgia Tech 20
