SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame’s defense pulled off a magic trick. In broad daylight, with 80,000 fans watching intently, Brian VanGorder’s defense took the power out of Georgia Tech’s triple-option attack.
The Irish moved to 3-0 on the season, beating the Yellow Jackets 30-22, a game that only got close after Notre Dame’s players started planning how to best use their 24-hour celebration window. Kicking off the game as home underdogs a week after escaping Charlottesville with a last-second victory, Brian Kelly’s team made a very loud statement on Saturday afternoon, winning with a first-time starting quarterback, a significant (and growing) body count, and by conquering a offense that had torched just about everyone it had faced.