Georgia vs. Notre Dame: Preview, predictions, TV schedule and more

Keys for Notre Dame

For Notre Dame to win this game, the Fighting Irish have to win in the trenches. Otherwise, it could be a long day for the Notre Dame program. Georgia does two things really well: run the football and win between the tackles. If Notre Dame executes at a high level, they can definitely win and cover at home.

Minimizing the effectiveness of the Bulldogs’ rushing attack will not be easy. Georgia should have an ample supply of backs to pound the rock with. Where Notre Dame can expose Georgia is along the offensive line with great penetration. The Georgia offense largely goes as the running game goes. Georgia is only mediocre in the passing game.

However, the Bulldogs do a good job of targeting their many tight ends and love to run jet sweeps and plays out of the Wild Dawg. Albeit a tad gimmicky, Georgia usually runs those well, but Notre Dame shouldn’t expect anything overly complex from Jim Chaney’s offense.

Winning on third down defense and the turnover battle will be key to beating the Bulldogs in Week 2. Notre Dame needs to feed off the crowd energy, though Dawg Nation will be well represented in South Bend. For both teams, this is potentially a season-defining game. A win could do wonders for either school’s confidence, just like a tough loss could shatter it entirely.