Carter, Bellamy were difference-makers in win over Notre Dame

Lorenzo Carter came untouched, unaccounted and unnoticed off the line of scrimmage.

For whatever reason, Notre Dame's offensive line allowed Carter to run with a free shot at Notre Dame quarterback Brandon Wimbush. Perhaps the play was a quick pass and Wimbush was supposed to get rid of the ball quickly. Regardless, Wimbush didn't do whatever he was supposed to do before Carter could get to him.

In a split second, Carter was in Wimbush's face, on a key third-quarter play at the Georgia 35-yard line, driving him to the ground. The ball popped out, with Carter recovering the ball. Notre Dame's drive stalled, with that being one of Carter's stellar plays in Saturday's 20-19 victory.

“I just came free, had to go in a straight line to the quarterback,” Carter said.

Carter finished the game with seven tackles, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries and a sack. He also forced a fumble in the first half, which Notre Dame recovered.

Davin Bellamy also had an outstanding game for the Bulldogs. Bellamy's play to seal the game came against Notre Dame left tackle Mike McGlinchey, who has been pegged as a potential first-round draft pick. Bellamy beat McGlinchey off the snap and sacked Wimbush on Notre Dame's final offensive play.

The ball squirted out, and Carter was there to recover it.

“Coming off the edge, I saw my brother on the side coming free,” Carter said. “I knew I had to get ready for him to make a play. Once he made that play, I had to do what I do and get on the ball.”

Head coach Kirby Smart revealed he almost took Bellamy out of the game before that play. Smart wanted to get a a fresh pass-rusher in there, but Bellamy stayed in.

Fortunately for Smart, he didn't pull the trigger and pull Bellamy out of the game then.

The outside linebackers were able to consistently get pressure, even when lined up against McGlinchey.

“He’s a great player, but I feel we’re great players, too,” Carter said. “We’re not going to bow down to man. We fear no man. We’re going to come out and keep playing our style of football, no matter who it’s against.”

Inside linebacker Roquan Smith liked what he saw from his vantage point once the outside linebacker tandem was able to wrap up the game.

“I believe in those guys. I see those guys make plays like that all the time,” Smith said. “It didn’t surprise me at all. I’m so proud of those guys. It’s an awesome feeling.”

Carter and Bellamy decided to return for their senior seasons after bypassing the NFL draft last December.

Judging by how the two played against Notre Dame, it was a wise decision given the jump their NFL draft stocks could take.

“I knew if we were making this trip up to South Bend that I had to be a part of it, especially the way we finished up last year,” Carter said. “I wanted to come back and do something better.”

This story was originally published September 10, 2017 at 1:40 AM with the headline "Carter, Bellamy were difference-makers in win over Notre Dame."