Noah Cahill

Fresh off the bye week, Notre Dame had a strong performance in a 49-7 win over rival Stanford, capturing the Legends Trophy and improving to 5-1 on the season. The offense had its best performance of the season and seemed to leave the media with very little concern, something that couldn’t be said in recent weeks. Until head coach Marcus Freeman dropped a bombshell in his press conference on Monday: junior cornerback Benjamin Morrison will undergo season-ending hip surgery. It was a devastating blow to a team already plagued by injuries.

With this in mind, the outlook for the next games on Notre Dame’s schedule shouldn’t change too much. Unsurprisingly, the Irish, who travel to Mercedes-Benz Stadium to face 5-2 Georgia Tech, are considered the clear favorites. The Yellow Jackets began the season with what appeared to be a tremendous win against then-No. 10 Florida State, a result that has since lost its value as the Seminoles are now 1-5. The Yellow Jackets have gone 4-2 since then, with losses to Syracuse and Louisville. Their offense is led by Texas A&M transfer Haynes King, who is off to a strong start to the season. In seven games, the junior quarterback has thrown for 1,586 yards and eight touchdowns with just one interception while adding 352 and six touchdowns on the ground. Malik Rutherford and Eric Singleton Jr. command the bulk of the scoring, combining for 70 receptions for 908 yards and four touchdowns on the year. After a slow start, running back Jamal Haynes has really stepped up his game in Georgia Tech’s last two wins, rushing for 128 yards against Duke and 170 yards against North Carolina. However, they face several defensive issues, especially after conceding 417 total yards of offense in their last game against the Tar Heels.

After a dominant performance from the defensive line and the loss of Morrison, the Irish defense will welcome a run-heavy attack from the Yellow Jackets. While their passing game could pose a threat, I still believe the secondary is well-equipped to turn the tide. I also see another opportunity for the offense to take a step forward against a Yellow Jackets defense that is within reach. This game will be close for a half, but I expect Notre Dame to pull away and get a comfortable win.

Notre Dame 35, Georgia Tech 14

Matthew Crow

I come into this game with more confidence in Notre Dame than I have ever had this season. Despite an unfortunate series of injuries to key players on both sides of the ball, the Irish defense and forward attack look like known quantities that can be counted on to perform at an elite level week in and week out. The difference in last Saturday’s 49-7 victory over Stanford was Notre Dame’s significant improvement in the passing game. The Irish coaching staff indicated that senior quarterback Riley Leonard would have a breakthrough performance after the bye week, and he delivered in every way possible, setting season-highs with 229 passing yards and three touchdowns while rushing for 31 yards and one fourth touchdown gathered ground. Leonard looked confident in the pocket all afternoon, connecting on several downfield passes into tight windows, rediscovering his connection with leading receiver Beaux Collins, who rushed for 85 yards after only a single catch in his previous game against Louisville was detained. Furthermore, almost all of the production came in two quarters alone, as the Irish endured a sluggish first quarter and powered through the final quarter after a lengthy weather delay. If this were the new normal for the Notre Dame offense — which added 229 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns — it would be a huge development for the Irish and would make them a tough team to slow down, especially when paired with one of them the best defenses in the country.

On the other hand, Georgia Tech has impressed all season long, posting a 5-2 record, with those two losses coming narrowly on the road against Syracuse and Louisville, two of the ACC’s top teams. While the Yellow Jackets’ season-opening win over Florida State has lost some of its luster in the weeks since, they enter Saturday’s game with two straight wins and should be full of confidence facing what will likely be a very tech-friendly Mercedes crowd. Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets boast the ACC’s best rushing attack at over 200 yards per game (they racked up 371 yards and five touchdowns on the ground last weekend against North Carolina), but have struggled to do so against the top defenses they’ve faced to achieve the same success. Meanwhile, their defense will look to bounce back after scoring 34 points in a narrow win over the Tar Heels.

Georgia Tech will be a tough test, and if it does well against an Irish team that tends to start slow, it could come down to the wire. But Notre Dame has won four straight and finally appears to be on the right track in all aspects of the game. Led by a strong defensive performance and another big day for the Leonard-Collins duo, I see the Irish improving impressively to 6-1 ahead of a big matchup with unbeaten Navy.

Notre Dame 38, Georgia Tech 10

Annika Herko

The Yellow Jackets were one of the surprises of this season. Georgia Tech is just one game away from bowl eligibility, losing only to Syracuse and Louisville. While they scored plenty of points against smaller school teams, their narrow win over then-No. 10 Florida State looks much less impressive since the Seminoles have gone 1-4 since meeting in Dublin in August. Georgia Tech will be highly motivated to get a win, but with Riley Leonard taking control of the Notre Dame offense, the Yellow Jackets will likely have to wait to secure bowl eligibility.

Notre Dame’s offense has made a lot of mistakes so far this season. Often it has been saved by the defense, but with Benjamin Morrison added to the long list of defensive players out for the season this week, there is very little room for error, even against teams not expected to they play well. The Irish offense has made great strides in recent weeks and this winning streak must continue.

Notre Dame 45, Georgia Tech 14

Madeline Ladd

The Irish put together their best performance of the season, showcasing their offense with a decisive win over Stanford. Riley Leonard was successful as he threw three touchdowns and, most importantly, completed 72% of his passes, including a 53-yard completion to Beaux Collins. Leonard also added his eighth rushing touchdown, further solidifying his dual-threat ability.

Now Notre Dame will face a strong Georgia Tech team at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Yellow Jackets, who pulled off a season-opening upset of Florida State followed by wins over Duke and North Carolina, are not to be underestimated. Their quarterback, Haynes King, offers a similar threat to Leonard with his ability to make plays through the air and on the ground. However, his status is uncertain after he sustained an injury last week.

Georgia Tech’s rushing offense ranks 25th nationally, powered by the explosive Jamal Haynes, whose running style mirrors that of Notre Dame sophomore Jeremiyah Love. The Irish defense, which has struggled against the run at times, will rely on the outstanding performances shown by graduate tackles Rylie Mills and Howard Cross last week. The return of senior Gabriel Rubio will also strengthen the lineup. Benjamin Morrison’s absence will test the strength of the secondary, with freshman Leonard Moore stepping up.

Notre Dame needs to start strong and not give momentum to what is supposed to be a 50/50 crowd. If the Irish can capitalize on their offensive momentum and maintain defensive pressure, they should emerge victorious. With King out of the game, it could get out of hand.

Notre Dame 34, Georgia Tech 17

Tyler Reidy

Knowing that Georgia Tech and their pesky rushing offense will likely play a role in this game, I’m keeping an eye on how Notre Dame starts and finishes this game. After the Irish got out of the gate slowly against Stanford last weekend, I think they scored at least 10 points in the first quarter. Marcus Freeman’s men will be ready to play somewhere other than South Bend for the first time in a month, and the experience of playing in a premier NFL venue like Mercedes-Benz Stadium should only add to that fuel . Expect Riley Leonard to score early at the goal line and for Notre Dame’s defense, which is struggling without Benjamin Morrison, to force a turnover in the plus zone.

From there, Georgia Tech should settle in and keep the Irish on high alert for a rally. The extremely effective duo of quarterback Haynes King (assuming he plays) and running back Jamal Haynes will have their way on the ground at times. But Notre Dame’s defensive line, which had arguably its best performance of the season a week ago, has the strength to hold them back in the big moments. I think they’ll get there, and Notre Dame will pull away late in a game it never trails.

Notre Dame 35, Georgia Tech 20