In the high-stakes game of life, some victories come with bittersweet moments. And Notre Dame’s playoff run wasn’t just about stars shining—it leaned on the precision of a unit that thrives on timing and risk. Behind it all, you have a coach who’s been through a lot, both good and bad. He’s built something truly special, just like in ‘Remember the Titans.’ It makes you wonder, what kind of drive pushes someone to overcome adversity and achieve something this incredible?
Notre Dame is in the semifinals, which calls for celebration. And like many, their special teams coach also feels content. After the game, Marty Biagi couldn’t hold back the tears, and honestly, who could blame him? The Notre Dame special teams coordinator had a crazy emotional rollercoaster this season. From becoming a dad to twins right before the Irish’s playoff win over Indiana to losing his father the next morning and having his wife in the hospital until just two days ago, it’s been a wild ride for him. But despite all that, Biagi’s Notre Dame squad came out on top with a 23-10 win against Georgia, punching their ticket to the playoff semifinals.
In the Superdome this night, Biagi’s crew went all out with three field goals, a touchdown, and even pulled off a huge fourth-quarter trick play that baited Georgia into a penalty to extend the drive. Even Fox Sports analyst Ross Dellenger summed up coach Biagi’s feelings in his tweet, where he mentioned how he sees this win after such harsh moments. He said, “I know Dad’s watching from Heaven.” After everything he’s been through, that win was something special for him and the team.
Notre Dame SPT coach Marty Biagi has endured in two weeks.. the birth of twins, death of his dad, hospitalization of his wife & two CFP wins.
Today, his unit scored 17 points & executed the game’s biggest trick play.
“I know dad’s watching from Heaven.”https://t.co/yEpr8RSCYe pic.twitter.com/zn3mUZI405
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 3, 2025
Stephen Biagi’s probably smiling down from heaven, proud of what Marty’s done for Notre Dame. Moreover, this win means more to Marty, as his father graduated from Notre Dame back in 1973. Plus, it’s their first major bowl victory over an SEC champion in 31 years. All thanks to the defense and special teams that made it an easy ride for them.
Well, believe it or not, the Bulldogs actually outgained Notre Dame 296 yards to 244. Wild, right? But Georgia couldn’t capitalize where it mattered the most. Their fourth-down attempts all failed, and they also fumbled the pigskin twice. Which made it a piece of cake for Notre Dame to secure a win against them. But fumbles? Wasn’t their QB Gunner Stockton supposed to prevent those mistakes while playing for Georgia?
Did Gunner Stockton meet expectations against Notre Dame?
Well, with Carson Beck out of the picture, Kirby Smart and the team put all their hopes in Gunner Stockton’s gameplay. And unlike many, Smart was sure that he was the perfect replacement for Beck. See, it’s not like Gunner didn’t fight against Notre Dame, but their defense pressure made it impossible for the Bulldogs to catch any rhythm in the game.
For instance, Stockton got sacked four times in the game, resulting in a 39-yard loss. And one of those sacks led to a critical fumble just before halftime. Doesn’t seem like a start that Gunner would have expected for his first-ever complete game. However, Gunner Stockton did have his moments, no doubt.
He lit up the field with some deep passes, including a 67-yarder to wide receiver Arian Smith that had fans buzzing. Even head coach Kirby Smart gave him props, saying, “Gunner did some good things.” And yeah, he did, but you can’t ignore those two turnovers he hit. The team’s 101 rushing yards got deducted to 62 yards after subtracting lost yardage. Well, one thing is clear: Georgia just couldn’t catch a break.
Never mind, Gunner completed 20 out of 32 pass attempts, running for 234 yards with a touchdown. It’s evident that it’s not some out-of-the-norm performance, but knowing Notre Dame’s defense, it’s the best he could have done. Now with Georgia out of the playoffs, all top seeds are out of the picture with this change of wave in CFB. Let’s wait and see who emerges as the ultimate winner!
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