After 48 chaotic, tragic and exhausting hours in the city of New Orleans, the Sugar Bowl has crowned a champion.
Notre Dame defeated the SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs 23-10 to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
The Fighting Irish will head to the Orange Bowl, where they will play No. 6 Penn State, with the winner of that game going to the College Football Playoff National Championship game.
In a sporting sense, the victory means the top four seeds have been eliminated from the College Football Playoff in the first year of its new 12-team format.
But in a broader sense, the celebration by Notre Dame players on the field and fans in the stands comes after a devastating terrorist attack that claimed the lives of 14 people and left dozens injured. The attack forced the Sugar Bowl to be delayed from its Wednesday afternoon start to Thursday afternoon.
After Notre Dame players gathered in the end zone, arm-in-arm as they swayed from side to side as their alma mater played, cameras found Louisiana State Troopers manning the benches after a devastating period for the city, the state and the nation.
Notre Dame players hoist the Sugar Bowl trophy after defeating Georgia 23-10 on Thursday
Victorious Notre Dame players sing their alma mater after CFP quarterfinal victory
Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman celebrates with his players
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard completed 15 of 24 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown, while also leading the team in carries with 14 carries for 80 yards.
But it was the Fighting Irish's defense and special teams that really led the way for Notre Dame.
Georgia fumbled twice in the first half, and the second of those fumbles led to a Notre Dame touchdown to take a 13-3 lead at the stroke of halftime.
Notre Dame got the ball to open the second half and hit the Bulldogs in the mouth with a 98-yard touchdown return by Jayden Harrison to make it a 20-3 game.
Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton, who made his first college football start in this game, made up for his fumble late in the first half by completing a 32-yard pass to receiver Cash Jones to make the game 20-10. in the third quarter.
But he couldn't find consistent success through the air as he was limited to 20/32 pass completions for 234 yards and a touchdown.
Stockton, replacing the injured Carson Beck, was sacked four times as Notre Dame's pass rush continued to consistently advance.
Adding to the dominance of Notre Dame's special teams was the leg of kicker Mitch Jeter, who had been struggling during the final stretch of the regular season.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard had a combined 170 yards of offense.
Notre Dame's Jayden Harrison (2) returns the second half kickoff for a touchdown
Georgia's Gunner Stockton made his first start in college football and was sacked four times
Fans leave Caesars Superdome after the conclusion of the Sugar Bowl on Thursday.
But in the College Football Playoffs, he went 5/6. That includes hitting two of three kicks in the first round against Indiana and three of three Thursday afternoon against Georgia.
Notre Dame now plays in the Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida, against Penn State, another team that needed to play in the first round.
The Nittany Lions defeated SMU at home and then eliminated Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year's Eve.
The winner of the game between Notre Dame and Penn State will advance to the CFP National Championship game to be played in Atlanta. There, they will face the winner of the Cotton Bowl Classic CFP semifinal game between No. 8 Ohio State and No. 5 Texas.