Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) celebrates after a quarterfinal game against Georgia in a College Football Playoff, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans.
Gerald Herbert/AP
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Riley Leonard passed for a touchdown, Jayden Harrison returned a kickoff 98 yards for a score, and Notre Dame’s defense made it hold up in a 23-10 victory over No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Thursday that sends the third-ranked Fighting Irish into the semifinals of the College Football Playoff.
In a game that was delayed by a day because of a deadly terror attack in the host city, Notre Dame (13-1, CFP No. 5) made enough big plays and got some help from a clever move by coach Marcus Freeman.
Georgia (11-2, CFP No. 2) was in position to close within one score when Notre Dame stopped it on fourth-and-5 from the Irish 9-yard line with 9:29 to go.
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Then, on fourth-and-short deep in his own territory, Freeman sent the punt team out before running all 11 players off the field and sending the offense out. Georgia raced to match up and then jumped offside as the play clock ticked down, giving the Irish a clock-sapping first down with 7:17 to go.
By the time the Bulldogs got the ball back, just 1:49 remained, and Notre Dame was well on its way to playing No. 5 Penn State (13-2, CFP No. 6 seed) in a semifinal at the Orange Bowl in Miami on Jan. 9.
NO. 16 MISSISSIPPI 52, DUKE 20
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jaxson Dart threw for 404 yards and four touchdowns in his final collegiate game, leading No. 16 Mississippi to a romp over Duke in the Gator Bowl.
Dart connected with Jordan Watkins seven times for 180 yards and two scores, including a 69-yarder with 1:27 to play that got the quarterback chewed out by coach Lane Kiffin. Dart added 43 yards rushing, leaving EverBank Stadium with grass and dirt stains all over his red and white uniform.
The senior never considered opting out of the bowl game. Instead, he helped the Rebels (10-3) make history. With the victory, Ole Miss notched double-digit wins in consecutive years for the second time in program history and the first since 1959-60.
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Ulysses Bentley IV, another senior playing his last college game, ran for 70 yards and two scores for the Rebels. Isaiah Hamilton returned an interception 50 yards for a touchdown early in the third quarter. All of them got to celebrate with sideline dunks on a portable basketball hoop adorned with Duke logos.
