Notre Dame’s complete dominance of Georgia Tech fueled talk of Notre Dame’s worthiness for a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Plus, Myron Tagovailoa-Amosa’s fumble return for a touchdown inspired reaction from former players and coaches.
Here is a collection of reactions to Notre Dame’s 10th win of the season from media, coaches, and players.
Greg Ladky and Tim Hyde, BlueandGold.com: Notre Dame post game show following the win over Georgia Tech
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Excerpts from BlueandGold.com and beyond
Patrick Engel, BlueandGold.com — Notre Dame knows itself well — and sees its 2021 ceiling continue to grow
Perhaps even a College Football Playoff team, or at least a team in the playoff mix until selection day. The No. 8 Irish (10-1) are staring at a two-spot jump in the CFP top 25 thanks to blowout losses by No. 3 Oregon and No. 7 Michigan State, which have two defeats each.
Thanks to Notre Dame’s light end-of-season schedule, its playoff hopes still hinge on losses by higher-ranked teams. In terms of the “eye test” and peaking at the right time, though, the Irish are offering quite the impression there too.
Notre Dame ripped off five straight touchdown drives after a field goal on the opening possession and a 43-yard pick-six from junior rover Jack Kiser. The Irish could essentially pick how they wanted to march down the field. Georgia Tech couldn’t tackle running back Kyren Williams. It couldn’t cover Mayer or senior receiver Kevin Austin Jr. After the opening drive, it couldn’t pressure quarterback Jack Coan.
Steve Downey, BlueandGold.com — Report card: Notre Dame football aces its Georgia Tech test
Notre Dame Rushing Defense: A
The most dangerous player on the field was second-year running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who entered the contest second in the country with an average of 168.0 all-purpose yards per game. He had also recorded at least one play of 50 yards or more in six straight games.
For the second year in a row, though, the Notre Dame defense contained him with great effectiveness. He managed just 58 yards on 12 rushing attempts, which is below his season average of 68.7 rushing yards per game. The Yellow Jackets managed just 128 yards and 3.7 yards per carry as a team.
Aside from letting Yates break free for a 54-yard run, plus 17- and 22-yard carries by Gibbs and Dontae Smith, the Irish front was stout. The Yellow Jackets’ other 26 non-sack rushing attempts netted them just 87 yards (3.3 per carry).
Heather Dinich, ESPN — College Football Playoff ranking: No movement at the top, but don't expect it to stay that way
Notre Dame doesn’t have anything left on its schedule to impress the committee, so the group simply would have to think the Irish are better based on what they see in those games against Georgia Tech and Stanford, opponents that are a combined 6-13.
To avoid losing that debate, the Irish need even more help. They need a two-loss Pac-12 champion. They need a two-loss Big Ten champion. Or they need Georgia to beat Alabama so badly it's impossible for the committee to justify a two-loss Tide in the top four.
Aidan Thomas, The Observer — Tommy Rees has given the Irish an offensive identity
Standing at the podium after a 24-13 loss to Cincinnati on Oct. 2nd, a frustrated Michael Mayer gave a short response to a question regarding Notre Dame’s offense: “We don’t really have an identity right now.”
Fast forward seven weeks and sophomore tight end Mayer was back at the podium, with a cheerier outlook after an incredibly dominant 55-0 win over Georgia Tech. Mayer said the Irish have “found [their] identity,” quipping that he was trying to be “in a better mood than after UC.”
J.J. Post, The Observer — As Logan Diggs emerges, so does the Irish offense
It’s hard to not draw immediate comparisons to Kyren Williams when watching Diggs — both are crafty running backs who can provide both speed, shiftiness, power and patience to the backfield. And such similar traits have allowed for a natural partnership to emerge between the two backs, both on and off the field.
When asked about how Williams has helped him improve, Diggs described just how big of an influence the junior has had on him. These effects can be traced back to the team’s fall camp, where the two were partnered together.
“I would honestly say Kyren is the reason why I’m comfortable and why I’m doing what I’m doing,” Diggs said. “He just took me under his wing, all throughout camp. His habits have rubbed off on me.”
Douglas Farmer, NBC Sports — Notre Dame wrecks Georgia Tech, wins on Senior Day for fifth straight year
The Irish defense did not give up a touchdown for the third straight game, a program first since early in the 2012 unbeaten regular season when it held four straight opponents out of the end zone. The shutout was preserved by someone who outscored Georgia Tech on his own, Tagovailoa-Amosa blocking a field-goal attempt at the end of the first half, the Yellow Jackets’ best and arguably only scoring chance.
“Pitching a no-hitter, nobody getting a touchdown, it’s big, but as [defensive coordinator Marcus] Freeman always says, the job’s not done,” junior defensive tackle Howard Cross said. “Focus on Stanford next week and hopefully get to the national championship.”
This is a team that barely survived scares from an average Florida State team and an unimpressive Toledo squad early in September.
They laid an egg against Cincinnati in their biggest game of the regular season which still stings, but did you have this pegged as an 11-win team?
With the overhauls at offensive line, receivers, all levels of the defense, and oh yeah, quarterback, this team had every excuse to be a 9-3 squad. Yet they were able to perform to a 10-1 mark with a likely win at Stanford remaining.
Brian Kelly getting this to be a 10-win season and dominating November like his team has, has been as impressive of a season as Kelly has had in his 12 seasons at Notre Dame, and that is a fact regardless of if they make the College Football Playoff eventually or not.
Dylan Sinn, The Journal Gazette (Fort Wayne, Ind.) — Irish have memorable Senior Day
In the first of two games it must win against middling teams to have any chance at the College Football Playoff, No. 6 Notre Dame dismantled Georgia Tech 55-0 in the most definitive beatdown of coach Brian Kelly's tenure. The victory came in front of a crowd of 70,011 on Senior Day at Notre Dame Stadium.
“You don't get many opportunities as a head coach where you have a Senior Day and you have a resounding victory and it's not snowing in November in South Bend,” Kelly said, laughing. “What's not to like about what happened today? ... Guys executed at a high level, players played to their potential.
“For those that are interested in style points — and you might not like me for this, but I'm not — I covered that one, too.”
