Notre Dame's Nelson: 'I never had a home game that felt almost like an away game'

The noise wasn't much of a factor. But for Notre Dame offensive guard Quenton Nelson, it was shocking to run out on his home football field and see a sea of red in the stands.

While a surprise, it was something that seemed destined for reality the day before the game. That Friday, Georgia fans flooded the Midwest, with a "Calling the Dawgs" chant breaking out at Wrigley Field during a Chicago Cubs game. Still, it was surreal for that many opposing fans to be inside Notre Dame Stadium, a historic venue for one of college football's most prominent programs.

“It wasn’t a factor in them being loud. But it was a factor in seeing half the stadium in red,” Nelson said. “It was pretty crazy. That was a first for me. I never had a home game that felt almost like an away game.”

For Nelson, it didn't affect his performance. As for some of the younger players, Nelson said it was something that may have affected them early on in the game.

Nelson was in Atlanta this week for the College Football Awards show as he was up for the Outland Trophy, an award Houston defensive lineman Ed Oliver took home. During his media availability slot, Nelson found himself in front of a few Georgia beat reporters who peppered questions his way about this particular game that took place three months ago.

Nelson felt coming out of that game, a 20-19 Georgia victory, that the Bulldogs had what it took to be a College Football Playoff contender. He also felt confident in his team's chances to be in the national picture, too. Nelson felt Georgia's defensive front seven was one of the best he'd seen and was certainly something the Fighting Irish weren't prepared for that early in the season.

“I think if we played them later in the season it would have been a lot more fun for us,” Nelson said.

Nelson commended Georgia defensive lineman Jonathan Ledbetter's performance against him, saying he played with good technique. He said nose guard John Atkins was tough to handle too.

Asked about inside linebacker Roquan Smith, who had seven tackles and a sack against Notre Dame, Nelson offered high praise.

“I would say most guys, before every play you make an angle to where you’re going to go to get someone,” Nelson said. “And usually my angle is always good at getting to the second level. But with him, you have to widen it more because of how fast he moves laterally and gets to the ball.”

As an independent, Notre Dame typically plays one of the tougher schedules each season. After losing to Georgia, the Fighting Irish competed against Michigan State, USC, N.C. State, Miami and Stanford. While Notre Dame defeated the Spartans, Trojans and Wolfpack, it lost to the Hurricanes 41-8 and Cardinal 38-20.

But even though both of those late-season losses were by double digits, Nelson felt Georgia was the most difficult team his team faced this year.

“I would say at the top,” Nelson said when asked where Georgia compared to the rest of Notre Dame's schedule. “Just their D-line, everyone was so big, strong, good technique. Their linebackers were very athletic. Roquan Smith and those other guys, just getting to the ball. They were very athletic.”

This story was originally published December 8, 2017 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Notre Dame's Nelson: 'I never had a home game that felt almost like an away game'."