Joel Klatt’s Bold Pick for Notre Dame vs. Georgia in Sugar Bowl

Klatt hasn't had the best track record in predicting Notre Dame outcomes the last couple months
Fox Sports announcer Joel Klatt walks across the field prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024.
Fox Sports announcer Joel Klatt walks across the field prior to the NCAA football game between the Ohio State Buckeyes and the Indiana Hoosiers at Ohio Stadium in Columbus on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024. | Adam Cairns/Columbus Dispatch / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame football is counting down the days until it takes on powerhouse Georgia in the Sugar Bowl with a trip to the College Football Playoff semi-finals on the line.

Georgia is one of the teams Notre Dame is trying to become as the Bulldogs have won a pair of national championships in the last three seasons and is on the short list of teams in consideration to be the standard of college football on an annual basis.

The meeting will be the fourth all-time between the two programs as Georgia has won all three by a touchdown or less.

Fox Sports college football analyst Joel Klatt has made his prediction for the Sugar Bowl and sees good things for Notre Dame.

Joel Klatt Predicts Notre Dame vs. Georgia Sugar Bowl

Sugar Bowl logo on the 50 yard line at the 2024 game
Jan 1, 2024; New Orleans, LA, USA; A general view of the 2024 Sugar Bowl college football playoff semifinal game logo before the game between the Texas Longhorns and the Washington Huskies at Caesars Superdome. | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Klatt recently made an appearance on The Ryen Russillo Show (you can watch in full below), and didn't waste any time when making his prediction for the Sugar Bowl showdown.

"This Georgia team struggles against mobile quarterbacks... we saw that with Haynes King, we saw that with Jalen Milroe," Klatt said. "This matchup, to me, very much favors Notre Dame. If Beck was playing, I would’ve been picking Notre Dame, and now that Stockton is playing, I’m definitely picking Notre Dame."

Joel Klatt's Track Record of Picking Notre Dame Games

To Klatt's credit, he was one of the very few national voices that picked Notre Dame to walk into College Station and beat Texas A&M in Week 1, doing so again with significant confidence.

He also had Notre Dame beating Army when some nationally were on Black Knights bandwagon, but also had the Irish falling to Navy in a game they won in blowout fashion back on Halloween weekend.

Most recently, Klatt has been up and down on the Irish, picking them to win and cover against USC, but picking Indiana to pull off an upset at Notre Dame Stadium in the First Round of the College Football Playoff.

Notre Dame vs. Georgia: Latest Betting Odds

Marcus Freeman looks at the scoreboard as he coaches Notre Dame in a victory over Indian
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman looks up at the scoreboard during the first round of the College Football Playoff between Notre Dame and Indiana at Notre Dame Stadium on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Latest Sugar Bowl betting odds courtesy of FanDuel:

Point spread: Georgia -1.5
Total: 44.5
MoneyLine: Georgia -120, Notre Dame +100

More from Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated

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Kirby Smart Breaks Down Notre Dame and Marcus Freeman Ahead of Sugar Bowl

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Nick Shepkowski
NICK SHEPKOWSKI

Managing Editor for Notre Dame On SI. Started covering Chicago sports teams for WSCR the Score, and over the years worked with CBS Radio, Audacy, NBC Sports, and FOX Sports as a contributor before running the Notre Dame wire site for USA TODAY.