Kirby Smart’s Georgia Bulldogs will face Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish on New Year’s Day in the Sugar Bowl. The game is quite significant since two of the biggest powerhouses in college football would be locking horns to punch a semifinal ticket.
But it won’t be that easy, according to Fox analyst Joel Klatt. Ever since Georgia QB Carson Beck’s NFL decision, Smart’s College Football Playoff aspirations have taken a hit.
Joel Klatt Makes His Predictions for Georgia vs Notre Dame Game
On Friday, Beck announced his decision to declare for the 2025 NFL Draft. It was a surprising move, especially after his season-ending elbow injury that was set to keep him out of the Sugar Bowl.
No NFL team fancies picking an injured QB, so his draft stock has likely dropped. Despite all these negatives, Beck made his decision extremely clear on social media. Since he is no longer part of the playing squad, Fox analyst Klatt believes Georgia will lose the game.
Freeman’s team will have an edge over Smart’s strategies in many ways, says Klatt.
“This Georgia team struggles against mobile quarterbacks. … We saw that with Haynes King, we saw that with Jalen Milroe,” Klatt said on The Ryen Russillo Podcast.
“This matchup, to me, very much favors Notre Dame. If Beck was playing, I would’ve been picking Notre Dame, and now that [Gunner Stockton] is playing, I’m definitely picking Notre Dame.”
When Kirby Smart Issued His Statement for the Sugar Bowl
The 49-year-old Georgia coach is a jack of all trades. He is unfazed, tactical, and deadly when it comes to brewing strategies. Smart, who is optimistic about his game plan, gave due credit to the opposing team and coach Freeman for leading the program to a 12-1 overall record and setting up a formidable defense.
“They play great defense. They have a great pass rush. They’re physical up front. They affect the pass rush with how hard they play, and they got really good defensive backs.
“I mean, they play man-to-man. You know, they get up on you, put their hands on you. You can tell it’s a great brand of football between Coach [Al] Golden and Coach Freeman have done a great job,” Smart lauded his opponent, per Yahoo Sports.
Georgia is 11-2 entering the Sugar Bowl matchup and a 1.5-point favorite to win the game, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
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