The College Football Playoff quarterfinals delivered everything from blowouts to a thrilling double-overtime finish. Jason Fitz of Yahoo and Fox Sports joined Thursday’s edition of GoJo and Golic to break down the Sugar Bowl clash between Notre Dame and Georgia. Notre Dame is a 1-point favorite at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Amid the tragedy in New Orleans on Bourbon Street, the Sugar Bowl was postponed from New Year’s Day to this afternoon.
BREAKING: The Sugar Bowl has been postponed following the deadly attack in New Orleans, where investigators are still combing the crime scene and working to secure the French Quarter.
ESPN's Laura Rutledge has the latest on the game which was set to kickoff tonight. pic.twitter.com/lzE9gn4pxW
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) January 1, 2025
The teams had to shelter in place for a bit on New Year’s Day, but Fitz did note the challenges that both teams have to endure off the field regarding their routines being disrupted. He spoke to the perspective that both GoJo and Senior could relate to as former athletes as far as coaches and players loving rhythm and being able to plan a routine going into a game. Fitz acknowledged the difficulties coaches may face in keeping the players focused amid the chaos. However he added once the ball is kicked off, it does not change how he feels about this game. He emphasized that the game is going to come down to simply which offense can manufacture points.
How does @jasonfitz see the Sugar Bowl unfolding?
"This game is all about which offense is going to be able to manufacture points. There's a quarterback in it that I don't trust, and there's a quarterback that I do…I just think it's asking too much of a quarterback we've seen… pic.twitter.com/nm1SF6u6rR
— DraftKings Network (@DKNetwork) January 2, 2025
In an attempt to not oversimplify his analysis, Fitz shared that given how good both teams are on the defensive side of the ball and thinks this game will come down to quarterback play. He highlighted that on the Notre Dame side of things, we know who Riley Leonard is and what he is capable of. On the other side, there is some uncertainty about backup quarterback Gunner Stockton for Georgia. For all that Georgia fans want to argue that Stockton is a highly touted recruit and he is more mobile than starter Carson Beck, Fitz points out that the advanced scouts of Notre Dame had only one job and that was to prep for this Georgia game. With that in mind, Fitz ultimately believes it is too much to ask a quarterback we have not seen much of to go up against the touted Notre Dame Fighting Irish defense and come away with a CFP win in the Sugar Bowl. He predicts Notre Dame will roll.
Senior pushed back a little bit and asked if we were underselling Stockton as a backup. Given how he was lauded as a top recruit, there is a reason he was a backup, given Carson Beck entered the season as a potential Heisman Trophy winner. Fitz said that he gives everyone the universal benefit of the doubt and that if he plays a clean game, the next hurdle he would have to overcome is his Georgia receiving corps that has led the nation in dropped passes. Fitz contended that it would be difficult for Georgia’s offense to beat the back end of the Notre Dame secondary, especially when they know what is coming. Some critics may say that Notre Dame’s defense does not have experience taking on a running quarterback, however, Fitz believes with the running prowess of Riley Leonard, the Notre Dame defense sees enough of that in practice everyday.
If we remove the brands from this game and just look at the matchups, Fitz believes that none of it favors Georgia. He noted that Georgia’s defense is going to be tough to score against, however you need points to win. He shared that this could be an ugly football game, and he predicted Notre Dame will win by 10.
Watch or listen to the full show below and tune into GoJo and Golic weekday mornings from 8-10 a.m. ET on DraftKings Network! See more about how to watch DraftKings Network here.
AUDIO
Hour 1: The Tragedy In New Orleans + Ohio State’s Rose Bowl Victory + Sirianni Sitting Saquon + Cam Skattebo SZN
VIDEO
Watch GoJo and Golic every weekday on Samsung TV Plus, Roku, Xumo Play, Google TV and DraftKingsNetwork.com from 8 to 10 a.m. ET. The show is also available via audio on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also follow Mike Golic Sr. on X at @golic and Mike Golic Jr. on X at @mikegolicjr.
I am a promoter at DraftKings and am also an avid fan and may sometimes play on my personal account in the games that I offer advice on. Although I have expressed my personal view on the games and strategies above, they do not necessarily reflect the view(s) of DraftKings and do not constitute a representation that any particular strategy will guarantee success. All customers should use their own skill and judgment in building lineups. I may also deploy different players and strategies than what I recommend above. I am not an employee of DraftKings and do not have access to any non-public information
The Crown Is Yours: Sign up for DraftKings and experience the ultimate host for games and betting experiences!
All odds provided by DraftKings Sportsbook, lines and odds subject to change.
