Georgia @ Notre Dame preview

No. 15 Georgia certainly did not envision true freshman Jake Fromm at quarterback early in its season-opening victory last weekend, but Fromm will direct the Bulldogs into Saturday’s nonconference showdown at No. 25 Notre Dame after Jacob Eason’s left knee injury. Fromm, who came on eight minutes into a 31-10 win over Appalachian State, completed 10-of-15 passes for 143 yards and a touchdown after Eason injured his left knee and will start Saturday, coach Kirby Smart confirmed Monday.

“He has good players around him,” Smart told the media regarding Fromm, who enrolled at Georgia early and took part in spring drills. “He needs to take advantage of them.” The Fighting Irish also cruised in their season opener, downing Temple 49-16 behind a trio of 100-yard rushers: Josh Adams, Dexter Williams and quarterback Brandon Wimbush, who also passed for 184 yards. “He provided some excitement and energy for the offense,” Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly told reporters afterward. The matchup is just the second between the two schools, and the first since Georgia beat Notre Dame in the 1981 Sugar Bowl to win the national championship.

TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, NBC. LINE: Notre Dame -4 ½

ABOUT GEORGIA (1-0): Fromm got help from the running-back duo of Nick Chubb (96 yards rushing, two touchdowns) and Sony Michel (87 yards rushing, one score). Chubb’s two rushing touchdowns moved him to sixth on the school’s all-time list with 31, while Michel recorded his 18th career rushing score. The Bulldogs defense kept Appalachian State out of the red zone until the fourth quarter, getting a sack, a forced fumble and five tackles from defensive back J.R. Reed.

ABOUT NOTRE DAME (1-0): Adams eclipsed 100 yards rushing before the end of the first quarter and finished with 161 yards on the ground, while Williams added 124 yards on just six carries. Wimbush rushed for 106 yards and a touchdown, and threw two touchdown passes while completing 17-of-30 attempts. Defensively, the Fighting Irish gave up 245 yards passing but limited Temple to 2.3 yards per rushing attempt.

EXTRA POINTS

1. Adams has rushed for 13 touchdowns in his career, six of those covering 35-plus yards.

2. Georgia P Cameron Nizialek averaged 43.8 yards per kick in his first game with the Bulldogs.

3. Wimbush is the first Notre Dame quarterback to account for three touchdowns in one game since Tommy Rees in 2010.

PREDICTION: Georgia 24, Notre Dame 21