There’s a story line making the rounds that Notre Dame hasn’t won a major bowl game in over 30 years. One of the so-called “New Year’s Six” games, to be more precise — Fiesta, Orange, Rose, Sugar, Cotton or Peach.
What a negative, nasty story line, especially because it’s, well, all too true.
Notre Dame hasn’t won one of college football’s marquee bowl games since its 1993 team edged Texas A&M 24-21 in a Cotton Bowl matchup of 10-1 teams. Lou Holtz and R.C. Slocum were the coaches. Irish running back Lee Becton was the game’s MVP. If there was a halftime act, there’s a pretty good chance it was performed in parachute pants. So long ago, it’s all a haze now.
Of course, this season’s Irish just beat Indiana 27-17 in the first on-campus game of the new, 12-team College Football Playoff. But unless No. 2 Georgia (-1½) vs. No. 7 Notre Dame (7:45 p.m. Wednesday, ESPN) ends in Sugar Bowl victory for the Irish in New Orleans, the national takeaway will be the same — Notre Dame still doesn’t quite belong in the top tier of powerhouse programs.
There have been playoff losses, BCS losses before that and other big-bowl losses along the way, and a matchup against mighty Georgia — 53-4 over the last four years — offers a chance to effectively bury all of them in the past.
So: Can the Irish (12-1) beat the Bulldogs (11-2)? There are a bunch of reasons the answer is yes.
The biggest of those is that Georgia’s NFL-bound quarterback, Carson Beck, won’t play after injuring his throwing elbow in an SEC championship win against Texas. Redshirt sophomore Gunner Stockton has a great name for a QB, but his throwing ability is suspect. He led three long scoring drives and a game-winning touchdown drive in overtime to beat Texas, but his physical skills are nowhere near Beck’s.
Bulldogs coach Kirby Smart talked up Stockton in New Orleans.’
“The No. 1 thing a quarterback has to have is decision-making skill, [and] he makes really good decisions,” Smart said. “No. 2 thing for a quarterback is accuracy. Not necessarily arm talent, but accuracy. He has accuracy.”
The Irish, who lead the nation in turnovers forced (29), defensive touchdowns (six) and pass efficiency defense, are looking to feast on an inexperienced quarterback. Watch out for safety Xavier Watts, who has 13 interceptions over the last two seasons, four more than anyone else in the FBS ranks.
The Irish are plus-16 in turnovers this season, to Georgia’s plus-one. They have quarterback Riley Leonard — a school record-holder at his position with 15 rushing touchdowns this season — going against a defense that has struggled against mobile QBs. They have a running back in Jeremiyah Love who has hit paydirt in every game.
Georgia ranks No. 1 in schedule strength, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index — 42 spots higher than Notre Dame — and reaching this point despite that is to be admired. But what does a tough schedule have to do with, say, the Bulldogs’ season-long habit of dropping passes? Nothing. It isn’t coach Kirby Smart’s best team or even close to it, at least not yet.
Notre Dame has “kept the pain” ever since an astonishing September loss to Northern Illinois and remained on an incline.
“We’ve got to remember it,” coach Marcus Freeman said. “We’ve got to be those desperate individuals that we were after that loss.”
Smart recognizes a legit opponent when he sees one.
“You see how they play,” he said. “You see the toughness they play with. The linebackers are downhill, thumping. The backs are elite. They’re built like an SEC team — and I say that as a huge compliment.”
Still, is Notre Dame really ready for this? Another win would break the school record — and definitely be the hardest one yet. Irish break through, 24-23.
OTHER WEDNESDAY QUARTERFINALS
Peach: No. 4 Arizona State (+12½) vs. No. 5 Texas (noon, ESPN): Nobody gave the Sun Devils (11-2) a chance heading into their first Big 12 season, so what did they do? They won the league. Nobody gives them a chance against Texas (12-2), so what will they do? They’ll win this damn game, too. Wait, no they won’t. Not even close. What was I thinking? Longhorns, 34-17.
Rose: No. 1 Oregon (+2½) vs. No. 8 Ohio State (4 p.m., ESPN): At the start of the season, the Buckeyes (11-2) were my pick to win the national championship. After they lost by a point to the Ducks (13-0) on the road in October, I thought: These teams will meet again in the Big Ten title game, and the Buckeyes will get their revenge in a big way. That rematch didn’t happen, but here it is now — so why am I filled with doubt? Because, frankly, the Ducks have been the better team since that first meeting. Quack Attack, again by just a feather — 35-34.
