Georgia’s season ended Thursday after a 23-10 loss to Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl.
The Bulldogs scored first on a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter, but once Notre Dame tied the score and later the first touchdown of the game — a 13-yard pass by Riley Leonard to Beaux Collins — with less than 30 seconds in the first half, the Fighting Irish never relinquished the lead.
Gunner Stockton, who made his first career start in place of injured Carson Beck, was 20-of-32 passing for 234 yards and a touchdown, a 32-yard reception by Cash Jones in the third quarter. Stockton was sacked four times.
“Gunner did some good things,” coach Kirby Smart said. “Any time you don’t have pass (protection), it’s tough. He had some tough moments out there. When it’s your backside and you can’t see it coming, it’s tough. I thought he tucked it down and ran. He got us out of a couple sacks with his feet and legs, threw the ball away. Did some good things there.”
Georgia outgained the Irish 296-244, relying heavily on Stockton’s throws. The Bulldogs recorded just 62 rushing yards, their second-fewest total of the season, behind the Bulldogs’ 59-yard effort in a loss to Ole Miss.
With the Bulldogs’ loss, there is no conference champion in the College Football Playoff semifinals.
This is the first time in program history that Georgia has lost to Notre Dame.
“They played exactly like we expected them to play: Physical, tough, don’t beat yourself,” Smart said. “They got two turnovers, and we didn’t. And they returned a kickoff for a touchdown. So, we basically spotted them probably 14 points off of that, and costed ourselves a possession in the red area when we fumbled down there. But they did a really good job. They played really hard, physical brand of football. So do we. Those two mirror each other.”
The Sugar Bowl was postponed from New Year’s Day to Thursday after a terrorist attack in New Orleans left 15 dead and more than 30 injured.
Notre Dame will face Penn State in the Jan. 9 Orange Bowl. Georgia opens the 2025 season Aug. 30 against Marshall.
