One of the most anticipated matchups in the second round of the College Football Playoff is set to take place between the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs. This will mark the fourth time these two programs have faced off, with the Fighting Irish currently 0-3 all-time against the Bulldogs.
However, this Notre Dame team is different from years past, and Georgia will be operating with Gunnar Stockton at quarterback after Carson Beck was ruled out for the remainder of the season with a shoulder injury.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the Bulldogs’ quarterback situation, it’s still hard to bet against Georgia head coach Kirby Smart and everything he’s accomplished. But that’s exactly what Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt is doing ahead of the primetime showdown on Jan. 1.
Appearing on “The Ryen Russillo Show,” Klatt, without any hesitation, boldly stated that he believes Notre Dame will win — not only with Beck as the starting quarterback, but also with Stockton at the helm for Georgia.
Certainly an interesting prediction, and currently, the Georgia Bulldogs are a slight 1.5-point favorite according to DraftKings Sportsbook ahead of the New Year’s Day matchup.
The winner of the game will face off against the winner of the Penn State-Boise State matchup in the second round, while Ohio State, Texas, and Oregon will duke it out on the other side of the bracket.
Arizona State could also make some noise if they can find some magic against the Longhorns on Wednesday, with all three games being played outside of the Nittany Lions and Broncos, who will face off on New Year’s Eve.
