There’s a storyline making the rounds that Notre Dame hasn’t won a major bowl game in more than 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 storyline, especially because it’s, well, all too true.
The Irish haven’t won one of the marquee bowl games in college football since their 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. Notre Dame running back Lee Becton was the 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, the 2024 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 ends in a 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.
(The game was moved from Wednesday to Thursday after a driver rammed into New Year’s revelers in the French Quarter.)
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 in the last four seasons — offers a chance to 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 victory 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.’’
Notre Dame, which leads the nation in turnovers forced (29), defensive touchdowns (six) and pass-efficiency defense, is looking to feast on an inexperienced quarterback. Watch out for safety Xavier Watts, who has 13 interceptions in 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 — who holds the school record 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.
The Bulldogs rank 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, their seasonlong habit of dropping passes? Nothing. It isn’t Smart’s best team or even close to it — at least not yet.
The Irish have ‘‘kept the pain’’ ever since an astonishing loss to Northern Illinois in September and have 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 victory would break the school record — and definitely would 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, by just a feather again, 35-34.