A huge turn of events flipped momentum on its head in the final moments of the second half.
The first half of the Sugar Bowl matchup between Georgia and Notre Dame was full of intensity, but a bold decision from Kirby Smart just before halftime turned the momentum sharply in Notre Dame’s favor.
With less than a minute to go in the second quarter and Georgia trailing 6-3, Smart decided to lean into his aggressive play-calling. Instead of playing it safe, he put the ball in the hands of backup quarterback Gunner Stockton, looking to make a statement. Unfortunately for the Bulldogs, Notre Dame’s defense was ready.
On the critical play, Notre Dame defensive lineman RJ Oben shot around his blocker, applying immediate pressure on Stockton. Oben managed to knock the ball loose from Stockton's blindside, and Junior Tuihalamaka was right there to fall on the fumble for the Fighting Irish. The turnover gave Notre Dame prime field position deep in Georgia territory.
It didn’t take long for Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard to capitalize. With just seconds remaining in the half, Leonard found wide receiver Beaux Collins in the end zone for a 13-yard touchdown, giving the Irish a 13-3 lead heading into the break.
The decision to go aggressive backfired spectacularly for Georgia, shifting the momentum firmly to Notre Dame. While Smart has a history of taking risks, this one may be hard to justify if the Bulldogs can’t claw their way back in the second half.
"We tried to get aggressive with two minutes and probably regret it," Smart said to ESPN at the half. "We tried to show confidence in our quarterback."
Notre Dame gets the ball to start the second half.
The winner of this one will advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl.