Georgia faces Notre Dame: Previewing College Football Playoff quarterfinal at Sugar Bowl

Taking care of Indiana sends Notre Dame into the College Football Playoff quarterfinals against SEC powerhouse Georgia.

Friday night’s 27-17 win saw the Fighting Irish dismantle the Hoosiers’ second-ranked scoring offense and hammer away with one of the Bowl Subdivision’s most underrated running games.

Indiana managed just 278 yards on 61 plays. In three games in past month against opponents ranked in the top 20 nationally in total defense — Ohio State, Michigan and the Irish — the Hoosiers averaged a measly 3.9 yards per play.

Notre Dame was able to gain yardage in chunks on the ground, something no opponent had done against Indiana all season. The Hoosiers allowed an FBS-best 850 rushing yards during the regular season on 2.5 yards per carry but were gashed for 192 yards on 5.5 yards per carry against the Irish.

Look for the Irish to use the same recipe from Friday’s win in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia.

Here are the biggest keys to this quarterfinal matchup:

Will Carson Beck play for Georgia?

The odds are extremely low that Beck is available for the Bulldogs after suffering an injury late in the first half of the SEC championship game against Texas. While the year hasn’t gone as planned for a player picked to challenge for the Heisman Trophy, Beck remains the Bulldogs’ best option under center; his questionable availability damages Georgia’s chances of reclaiming the national championship.

Without Beck, look for Georgia to embrace a different playing style under backup Gunner Stockton. This was seen in the second half and overtime in the Texas win. Stockton is more mobile than Beck and allows the Bulldogs to take the offense in a new direction. That’s the good news. The bad news is that Stockton makes this offense more one-dimensional due to his inability to deliver at Beck’s level in the passing game.

Can Georgia win with Gunner Stockton?

The Bulldogs can still win with Stockton, who sparked the SEC championship win and could do the same against one of the best defenses in the country. Stockton was also a five-star prospect and one of the nation’s top quarterback recruits, giving him a slightly more upgraded résumé than your typical FBS backup.

This won’t be easy, though. Stockton will have to avoid any turnovers and use his athleticism to help deflate Notre Dame’s pass rush. One way Georgia can help get him into a rhythm is by asking Stockton to throw on early downs to help avoid those third-and-long scenarios that would clearly favor the Fighting Irish.

Can Notre Dame run the ball on Georgia?

Notre Dame has run on pretty much everyone. The Irish have run for multiple scores in every game and have run for at least 201 yards in five of the past six. Jeremiyah Love’s 98-yard touchdown run against Indiana made Notre Dame the sixth team in the FBS with three runs of 70 or more yards.

Georgia’s run defense has had moments of dominance — including a really good run in October and early November — but hasn’t been foolproof. The Bulldogs allowed Kentucky to run for 170 yards in a narrow win, gave up 173 yards and three scores in a loss to Alabama and allowed a combined 486 yards in wins against Massachusetts and Georgia Tech.

Will kicking woes cost Notre Dame?

Notre Dame’s miserable kicking game could cost the Irish a shot at the program’s first national championship since 1988.

Kicker Mitch Jeter’s hip injury has been the primary factor behind Notre Dame’s struggles. A transfer from South Carolina, Jeter made a combined 23 of 25 attempts in his final two seasons with the Gamecocks.

He made a pair in the win against Indiana, including a season-high 48-yard attempt that gave the Irish a 17-3 lead heading into halftime. But he also had another attempt blocked, leaving him 8 of 15 on field goals this season.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Notre Dame, Georgia set for Sugar Bowl in College Football Playoff