At least one Notre Dame football player felt like he was playing on the road when the Fighting Irish hosted Georgia earlier this season.

Notre Dame offensive guard Quenton Nelson said it was shocking to run out on his home field and see a sea of red in the stands, according to a recent article from The Telegraph.

Nelson said it wasn’t so much that Georgia fans were more vocal than his own home fans — he just didn’t expect to see so many of them.

“It wasn’t a factor in them being loud. But it was a factor in seeing half the stadium in red,” Nelson said. “It was pretty crazy. That was a first for me. I never had a home game that felt almost like an away game.”

The Fighting Irish guard said it didn’t affect his own performance in the game, but it may have made an impact early on some of the younger players.

Nelson spoke about the Irish’s 20-19 loss to the ‘Dawgs with Georgia reporters earlier this week at the College Football Awards Show in Atlanta.

“I think if we played them later in the season it would have been a lot more fun for us,” Nelson said.

He also had high praise for UGA linebacker Roquan Smith.

“I would say most guys, before every play you make an angle to where you’re going to go to get someone,” Nelson said. “And usually my angle is always good at getting to the second level. But with him, you have to widen it more because of how fast he moves laterally and gets to the ball.”

How good are the Bulldogs in comparison to some other teams Notre Dame has faced?

“I would say at the top,” Nelson said. “Just their D-line, everyone was so big, strong, good technique. Their linebackers were very athletic. Roquan Smith and those other guys, just getting to the ball. They were very athletic.”