No. 2 Georgia and No. 3 Notre Dame give the newly expanded CFP a classic feel at the Sugar Bowl
Associated PressNEW ORLEANS — If Georgia playing Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl has a classic ring to it, it should. “When you get two big brands together in a stage like the Sugar Bowl, and to know it’s happened before, with some big names that played in the game, and to understand it has so much on the line this time, too, it’s exciting,” said Kiser, a 24-year-old defensive captain who has spent six years — or as he likes to say, “a quarter of my life,” at Notre Dame. “It’s stuff you dream about.” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said he was “thankful that we don’t have to play Herschel Walker.” “But we’ve got some other challenging running backs that we’ve got to try to defend,” he added, referring to Nate Frasier and Louisiana native Trevor Etienne. “And that’s the way it’s supposed to be.” Pressure tested Outside expectations plummeted for Notre Dame after a stunning loss to Northern Illinois in September. “Once you lose a game like that, you can’t say any worse things and people can’t think many worse things about you, so you’ve got nothing to do but respond,” Leonard said.