The Anti-Preview: #8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish VS Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

For 14 years I have provided the most irrelevant game preview for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish — but I’ve also provided the most relevant fan preview for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (don’t @ me).

SO LFG!

At 9-1 and ranked #8 in the college football playoff rankings, Notre Dame has a path to the playoffs — albeit one that isn’t entirely under their control. I won’t go into another rant about the many different ways this can go for the Irish, because we have a podcast for that.

What I will say is that this is much different than the last two playoff runs in 2020 and 2018. In both of those years, Notre Dame was finishing the season out by “not crashing the car,” whereas this year we are trying to turn a very reliable Honda Accord into Chevy Corvette (pick the road or track because that’s as far as I’m going with the car metaphors). Enter the final two games of the regular season.

According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Notre Dame is 17 point favorites with an over/under of 58.5. So bring out our contestant!

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets

I think a theme this week has been finding out that Georgia Tech has some really talented players — but the team just can’t win. The 3-7 record is a little deceiving, and yet wildly accurate. They lost the season opener to the Northern Illinois Huskies, and it’s been a dark cloud over Atlanta ever since. Their latest loss was to the Boston College Eagles, and it was a game in which BC racked up over 500 yards on offense in an eleven point win.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

They’re inconsistent on offense, give up a ton of yards on defense, and are abysmal in the turnover differential. The curse of the Paul Johnson triple option continues.

What should you be drinking?

It’s senior day, and that means we are celebrating old people. So let’s get old and stay old this week with a classic.

Tom Collins

• 1 ½ cups ice
• 2 fluid ounces gin
• ¾ fluid ounce lemon juice
• ½ fluid ounce simple syrup
• 1 cup ice
• 2 fluid ounces club soda
• 1 lemon wedge

Fill a Collins glass with 1 1/2 cups ice, set aside in the freezer. Combine gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup in a cocktail shaker. Add 1 cup ice, cover and shake until chilled. Strain into the chilled Collins glass. Top with club soda and garnish with a lemon wedge.

What should you be eating?

Salisbury Steak Dinner

If you know — you know.

What should you be wearing?

There’s going to be some fluffy white things being tossed around on Saturday — so maybe wear a photon pack.

You can also sport these and join the army of true believers.

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• $28

Leave it all on the field to reach the ultimate goal.

Gold print on a super-comfortable heather navy tee.

Premium, lightweight blended crewneck (60% cotton/40% polyester). Durable, yet ultra-soft.

Unisex sizing with a snug fit. Men should size up; women should size down.

Screened in the USA.

• $28 at Breaking T

3 reasons to hate Georgia Tech

• Notre Dame has played GT in every decade since the 1920s. That’s a fair enough reason.
• They once employed Paul Johnson and were outfitted by Russell Athletic.
• The 1999 Gator Bowl and George O’Leary.

At the end of the day...

Sure, there probably is something to slow senior day starts — THEY’RE OLD — but recently these games have seen the Irish continue to lean on their opponent like that quality cane in the umbrella holder by the front door. I can guarantee this much... the game won’t be 38-17. No way that sorcery happens.

So yeah... let’s go with 45-10 Irish because we made the square and chose violence.

Twitter @DownTheLine1842