Notre Dame predicted to beat Georgia by ESPN's Booger McFarland

The final game of the quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff will be played Thursday afternoon when Georgia and Notre Dame face off in New Orleans. Georgia has more playoff experience than the Fighting Irish as Kirby Smart’s club has won two of the past three national titles.

However, it’s experience at the quarterback position that is the reason Booger McFarland believes Notre Dame will come out on top. McFarland explained his reasoning Thursday morning on ESPN First Take.

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“When you take away your starting quarterback, and you take away the experience, and you add in Gunner Stockton – although Gunner Stockton is a very talented quarterback, there’s something about the experience in a game that gives you confidence and gives the team opportunity and he’s not going to have that today,” Booger McFarland. “And I get it, he’s going to be very well coached. Everybody’s going to play well around him.

“But at some point, Gunner Stockton is going to have to step up and make plays. And I would defer and lean towards Riley Leonard being able to make more plays than Gunner Stockton.”

McFarland added that he isn’t sold on this Georgia team being as dominant on the lines of scrimmage as some Bulldogs teams were in recent years. Georgia’s defense has been pushed around at times, and teams have been able to move the ball on the ground and through the air.

“When we think about Georgia, we think about what they once were,” McFarland said. “The dominant defense, being able to run the ball and line up and pound everybody. This is not the same Georgia team.”

McFarland expects Notre Dame to be able to run on the Bulldogs, whether it be quarterback Riley Leonard or a couple of talented running backs. Entering the Sugar Bowl, Notre Dame is No. 11 nationally in rushing at 222 yards per game. Georgia ranks No. 31 in stopping the run and is allowing 128 rushing yards per game.

“I think Notre Dame can line up and run the football. If we look at the teams that have beaten Georgia, let’s go to Ole Miss. Ole Miss lined up and they attacked the edges of the defense. I think Notre Dame can do the same thing with this lineup, with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price,” McFarland said. “I think they will be able to do that. I think the offensive line is going to be able to neutralize and control that Georgia front.

“And Notre Dame has a quarterback in Riley Leonard who is super experienced. He’s played a ton of football. And although he may not be in the upper echelon of quarterbacks, that experience, in my opinion, will allow Notre Dame and allow Riley Leonard to make the requisite plays during the game.”

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