Georgia has had more time than Notre Dame to prepare for their College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday night in New Orleans.And that will come in handy for a team turning to an inexperienced quarterback with the season on the line.Sophomore Gunner Stockton will start for the No. 2-seeded Bulldogs (11-2) against the No. 7-seeded Fighting Irish (12-1) after Carson Beck underwent season-ending surgery to repair an elbow injury suffered in the second quarter of the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 7.Stockton replaced Beck and completed 12 of 16 passes for 71 yards with an interception in Georgia’s 22-19 overtime win against Texas. The victory solidified a playoff bye and extra preparation time for the Bulldogs, though they didn’t know their opponent until almost two weeks later when Notre Dame advanced with a 27-17 first-round playoff victory against Indiana on Dec. 20 in South Bend, Ind.Georgia coach Kirby Smart said the extra time helped Stockton by giving him added reps with the first team, though the Bulldogs’ game preparation was limited until they knew their opponent.”I think the biggest thing (for Stockton) is just competition and practice, the situations we put him in,” Smart said. “All those things allow him to get better as a quarterback.”Stockton has completed 25 of 32 passes for 206 yards and no touchdowns this season, with one interception. Freshman Nate Frazier leads the running game with 634 yards and eight TDs on 129 carries.Irish coach Marcus Freeman said he and his staff have “80-something plays” of Stockton to study.”He can run their offense,” Freeman said. “He does things a little bit differently. He can extend plays with his legs; he’s a good athlete. The thing I probably noticed most about him, he’s an ultra-competitive individual.”Smart downplayed the possibility that Stockton’s running ability will lead to much difference in the Bulldogs’ game plan.”We are who we are,” Smart said.The flip side to the break between games is that Georgia will have had the equivalent of 3 1/2 byes while Notre Dame stayed sharp by winning its 11th consecutive game.”It’s really just hard to manage how you keep your players in football shape and game shape,” Smart said. “Do you lose some rhythm? You watch it most times in bowl games, people that have those long breaks, it can affect how you play.”Notre Dame, like fellow first-round winners Penn State, Ohio State and Texas, is adjusting to playing back-to-back postseason games as part of the 12-team CFP.