Kirk Herbstreit explains why all the pressure is on Notre Dame Saturday night
By SDS Staff
Published:
One of the biggest games in 2019 happens Saturday night from Athens, Georgia.
The No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish are taking on the No. 3 Georgia Bulldogs. Sanford Stadium should be incredible. The Bulldogs come into the game as the higher-ranked team, but all the pressure is on Notre Dame, according to College GameDay’s Kirk Herbstreit.
Herbie jumped on SportsCenter Saturday morning before the pregame show to discuss Saturday’s massive showdown.
“Everything (is at stake for Notre Dame),” Herbstreit said. “They don’t play a conference championship game. They’re 60 minutes away from being in control and being in position if they’re able to somehow win this game. Think about that — what the nation would think about Notre Dame if they came to Athens and knocked off Georgia on the road. They would be right where they want to be. On the other hand, lose this game and they don’t have a conference championship and they don’t have those big matchups still on their schedule. So, this is everything for Notre Dame. I know it’s still September, but if they lose this game, they will have a very tough time climbing themselves back up towards the top four. So, there’s a lot at stake.
“Brian Kelly can downplay that if he wants, but that’s the reality in my opinion.”
Herbstreit is right. Should the Irish somehow pull the upset, Georgia is still in the College Football Playoff talk if it wins out. A loss for Notre Dame, however, would virtually eliminate the Irish from contention.
The Irish have only two more ranked teams on its schedule in No. 21 Virginia and No. 11 Michigan after Saturday, and it won’t play a conference championship game.
The Irish and Bulldogs kickoff Saturday night at 8:00 p.m. ET on CBS Sports.
Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.
