Sugar Bowl Picks: Notre Dame vs. Georgia Predictions for CFB Playoff

In the final New Year’s Day College Football Playoff game, we get Notre Dame vs. Georgia in the 2025 Sugar Bowl, in New Orleans, La., at 8:45 p.m. ET

Below, we’ll give you the best Sugar Bowl picks and predictions for Notre Dame vs. Georgia for CFB DFS on PrizePicks, including the best player projections to target in this 2025 College Football Playoff game.

Georgia hasn’t played in a few weeks, but that rest wasn’t enough because they will be missing QB Carson Beck due to injury. In his place will be QB Gunner Stockton, who helped lead the Bulldogs to their win in SEC Championship game. 

That will make it tough, given how well Notre Dame has played all year, with only one loss. This will still be an entertaining game to watch with two excellent teams fighting to be one of the final four teams in the CFB Playoff.

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Sugar Bowl Picks for Notre Dame vs. Georgia

Here are the best picks for the 2025 Sugar Bowl between #7 Notre Dame vs. #2 Georgia on Wednesday, January 1, in the College Football Playoff for CFB DFS and PrizePicks.

• Where to Watch the Sugar Bowl: Notre Dame vs. Georgia
• Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love 89.5 Rush Yards — More (Demon)
• Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard 215.5 Pass+Rush Yards – More
• Georgia QB Gunner Stockton 26.5 Pass Attempts – Less
• Georgia RB Trevor Etienne 15.5 Rush Attempts – More
• Sugar Bowl Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Georgia 14

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2025 Sugar Bowl: Where to Watch Notre Dame vs. Georgia

Date: Wednesday. January 1, 2025

Time: 8:45 p.m. ET

Location: Caesars Superdome, New Orleans, La.

Where to Watch: ESPN, ESPN+ (streaming)

Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love 89.5 Rush Yards — More (Demon)

It doesn’t matter who the matchup is; you must ride with Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love. Georgia has a good defense, but we’ve seen the Bulldogs be vulnerable at times. Their head coach has admitted they are not as good as they have been in past years.

They are a modest 32nd in rushing yards allowed per game (129.3), but Love recently had 130 yards against Army (12th) and, in the first round of the Playoff, went for 108 yards against Indiana's top rushing defense. 98 of that was on one play, but he has hit this total in four of his last five.

Notre Dame knows in order to move the ball, they need to establish its ground game, which it has done throughout the season. Love will be key to Notre Dame controlling this game.

Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard 215.5 Pass+Rush Yards — More

Early in the season, we wondered if Notre Dame was going to have another bust at quarterback. QB Riley Leonard started his first three games with under 200 passing yards and zero passing touchdowns, which included an upset loss to North Illinois. Something clicked since then, and he has thrown a touchdown in nine of his last ten.

What has always been there is his rushing ability. He’s passed and rushed for 200 yards in 11-of-13 games and will need to be effective in both to keep this Georgie defense balanced. 

Georgia's pass rush has been average, with a 75.7 PFF grade (43rd). The Notre Dame offensive line allowed Leonard to throw 201 yards and 30 on the ground last week against Indiana, and he should be impactful with his arm and legs.

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Georgia QB Gunner Stockton 26.5 Pass Attempts – Less

Georgia will be at a disadvantage without Carson Beck at quarterbaçk. We’ve seen a little of Stockton in two seasons, and this is a preview of what the Bulldogs will have for next year. 

What we should expect from Georgia is play-action and a lot of short passes. They do not want him to have the ball longer than he needs to because there’s a drastic difference when he isn’t facing pressure and when he is. In a limited sample, Stockton has a 70.0 PFF passing grade with no pressure vs. 29.4 when he is. 

That is why you should take less than on his passing yards: Notre Dame does like to put pressure on, and that’s why Georgia will limit how much he handles the ball.

Georgia RB Trevor Etienne 15.5 Rush Attempts – More

That’s also why Georgia will run a lot. Stockton does much better on play action, and the only way to keep pressure off Stockton is if they establish the run. 

It hasn’t been the season Etienne hoped for when coming from Florida. Injuries have derailed his season, but he’s looked good when he’s been available. 

He had a fantastic game in the SEC Championship with 94 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. Texas was ninth in rushing yards allowed per game (104.5), and Notre Dame is further down at 35th (133.0). This could be a game where the Bulldogs run 35-40 times, and Etienne will get the majority of the carries.

Sugar Bowl Prediction: Notre Dame 24, Georgia 14

These are two blue bloods in college football, and it could be an old-school smash-mouth game. Notre Dame will want to establish the ground game, and the Fighting Irish run on 55% of their plays (44th). 

Georgia has had a different case, but without Beck at quarterback, the Bulldogs will look to their backfield to help move the ball. That could be difficult against Notre Dame’s stout defense.

Each is tough defensively and will try to pressure the pocket, but the difference will be in the passing game. The Irish have the advantage with the veteran Leonard. This young Georgia secondary finished 70th in passing yards allowed per game (224.6) in college football. Georgia will have the inexperienced Stockton going against Notre Dame, which was third in passing yards allowed (162.3).

Georgia might only be one-dimensional on offense, and that will help Notre Dame move on to the semi-final in what could be a low-scoring game.

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Get Real Money Action on the 2025 Sugar Bowl

The College Football Playoff is heating up, and Notre Game vs. Georgia in the Sugar Bowl is expected to be the closest matchup of the quarterfinals. We’re starting the new year off right with three playoff games, capping it off with this matchup.

The easiest way to get real money for the Sugar Bowl between Notre Dame and Georgia is through PrizePicks. Just pick more or less on player statistics like the ones above, set your Lineup, and get paid if you get your picks correct.

You only need to pick on two players, but the more you pick in your Lineup, the more you can win on the 2025 Sugar Bowl!