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NEW ORLEANS — Georgia prided itself over the last decade as one of the big bullies in college football, but on Thursday at the College Football Playoff, the Bulldogs were pushed aside by a bunch of misfits from Notre Dame.
The heartfelt label of “misfits” given by Marcus Freeman for this group of football-obsessed power players and head hunters staked their claim as one of sport’s best with a decisive 23-10 victory at the Sugar Bowl inside the Caesars Superdome. It sends the Irish (13-1) to the semifinals of the CFP, where they’ll play Penn State in the Orange Bowl, and place them one step closer to a long-awaited national championsihp.
“It’s an honor, you know?” said Freeman, the Irish’s third-year coach. “We want it as bad as our fans want it. But what you want doesn’t matter. It’s what you’re willing to do, and that’s what we’ve got to continue to focus on — the work that it takes to achieve that outcome that we all want so badly.”
It’s that extra work, the extra effort and the mentality to not accept “good enough” that has defined Notre Dame’s rise under the 38-year-old head coach. Notre Dame is a program that transcends the sport, but that interlocking gold “ND” was tarnished by critical losses and misfires in the modern era, which led to ridicule and punchlines.
No one laughed at the Superdome, though some Notre Dame fans — and at least one staffer on the field — were spotted crying tears of joy after the win.
“It’s a great shot in the arm for us, there’s no doubt about that,” said Rev. Robert Dowd, president of the University of Notre Dame.
Georgia (11-3) appeared listless at times, out-maneuvered by the competition and out-coached by the opposing staff. The Bulldogs couldn’t crack 300 yards, and were held scoreless on two…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/notre-dames-misfits-become-the-bullies-in-sugar-bowl-as-irish-shake-up-cfp-party-with-biggest-win-in-decades/
Author : Brandon Marcello
Publish date : 2025-01-03 11:49:00
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