Notre Dame is ranked No. 12 in the AP poll and has a stifling defense that can attack from all angles. On offense, they lead the rushing attack with 1,299 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns. Notre Dame threw for 1,106 yards through the air and scored eight touchdowns. The Fighting Irish have a capable office and an elite defense that Georgia Tech must have. Here we will introduce the players to watch.
QB Riley Leonard – Notre Dame averaged over 10 yards per attempt in the win against Stanford. Leonard passed for 229 yards and three touchdowns in a 16-22 victory. It was his best game of the season. This season, he threw for 979 yards and six touchdowns, with a completion percentage of 66.2%. Leonard is also the second leading rusher on the team with 405 rushing yards. He leads the team with eight rushing touchdowns. Despite playing in only five games due to a foot injury, his move to Duke this year seemed to be on track. He is on pace to have his best season in terms of completion percentage and is on track to surpass his passing percentage from the 2022 season. Leonard has been consistent for the Fighting Irish this season, rarely turning the ball over.
RB Jeremiah Love – Love only had six carries last game, but averaged 8.8 yards per rush. He finished with 53 yards and a touchdown. Love is Notre Dame’s leading rusher this season. This season, he had 426 yards and six touchdowns. His best game was against Purdue, where he rushed for 109 yards and a touchdown, averaging 10.9 yards per carry. Notre Dame uses love in many ways. He can gain distance with his passing game through screens and flat routes. His running game can also force defenders to miss, create space or create highlight-reel hurdles, as he did on a 34-yard touchdown run against Northern Illinois earlier this season. He’s dynamic in the open field, and if you don’t get him on the ground you’ll pay the price. Georgia Tech has had a much better record against elite running backs and has played against a number of teams in recent weeks. They will have to prepare in this match to delay Jeremiah’s love.
Safety Xavier Watts- Watts is probably one of the best safety devices in the country. In 2023, he won the Bronko Nagurski Award (representing the county’s best defensive player), was a unanimous All-American, and led the nation with seven interceptions. In 2024, he will be fourth on the team with 22 tackles. He also leads the team in pass deflections (four) and interceptions (two). His best game was against Northern Illinois, where he finished with eight tackles and was on the field. Georgia Tech will have to be careful when throwing into coverage, especially with Watts lurking. He has a knack for locating the football and making big plays.
It will be a tough test for the Yellow Jackets, and they will have to keep these players from having big games if they want to have any chance of pulling off the upset.
Additional links:
Georgia Tech vs. Notre Dame: National analysts predict Saturday’s game
Report: Georgia Tech quarterback Haynes King will not play against Notre Dame
Georgia Tech football: 3 Yellow Jackets and position groups to watch for Saturday’s game against Notre Dame
