A Notre Dame defense that has overcome serious injuries all season will have to do so again as standout defensive lineman Rylie Mills will miss the remainder of the College Football Playoff with a right knee injury.
Coach Marcus Freeman on Monday confirmed the prospects for Mills, who was injured while sacking Indiana's Kurtis Rourke early in the second half during Friday's 27-17 first-round win at Notre Dame Stadium. Mills, a senior and captain, leads Notre Dame in both sacks (7.5) and tackles for loss (8.5).
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After the game, Freeman told ESPN's Scott Van Pelt that Mills' injury does not appear to be season-ending and that there is “optimism” that Notre Dame will get him back for the CFP quarterfinals against No. 2 seed Georgia on Jan. 1 can Allstate sugar bowl.
Mills' absence hurts the Fighting Irish's defense, which has already lost All-America cornerback Benjamin Morrison and rush ends Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore. The defensive line had just returned senior Howard Cross III, who played against Indiana after missing Notre Dame's final three games of the regular season.
Junior Gabriel Rubio replaced Mills midway through the season against Indiana and finished the game with two tackles.
Notre Dame got some good injury news as offensive tackle Charles Jagusah, a projected starter at left tackle who suffered a torn pectoral muscle in the preseason, is available for the Sugar Bowl. He recently started practicing again.
Starting offensive lineman Rocco Spindler, who started against Indiana before exiting with an undisclosed injury, is questionable for Georgia, Freeman said, while linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa is also questionable.
