ATHENS, Ga. -- Three weeks ago, Georgia backed into the SEC championship, survived an eight-overtime win, then got to sit at home and watch a game -- Texas at Texas A&M -- in which the winner would be its next opponent.

By winning that game, Georgia earned the right to have another next-opponent watch party. The stakes are higher this time, and the opponents are less familiar -- sort of. (The last time Georgia played Notre Dame was the same season it last played Texas A&M, 2019.)

The quarterfinals of the College Football Playoff could be not only a reprise of the 1981 Sugar Bowl when Georgia beat Notre Dame to win the national championship but also the teams' third meeting in less than eight years.

Or it could be the first-ever meeting between Georgia and Indiana.

Storylines are one thing. But what about the actual matchup? Based on the regular season, here's a look at how each possible opponent matches up with the Bulldogs:

This is no secret: Quarterbacks who can run are the kryptonite for this Georgia defense and have been for years.

Georgia Tech's Haynes King had a season-high 114 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns in the eight-overtime thriller. Alabama's Jalen Milroe had 117 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns on 16 attempts. They weren't the only ones: Jaxson Dart had 50 rushing yards on seven attempts in Ole Miss' win over Georgia, Kentucky's Brock Vandagriff had 70 yards on 10 runs, and Auburn's Payton Thorne had 45 yards on 10 runs.

The flip side: Texas' Quinn Ewers is not much of a runner, nor is Clemson's Cade Klubnik, and those were arguably Georgia's three best defensive games with two against Ewers.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard can run: He rushed for 769 yards this season, ranking 13th among quarterbacks nationally in sack-adjusted rushing yardage. In the three previous three years at Duke, Leonard amassed 1,224 rushing yards (counting sacks) in 21 starts, plus six other appearances.

Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke, on the other hand, is not much of a runner: 109 yards and a couple of touchdowns on 23 runs, not counting sacks.

So there's a clear preference here for Georgia.

This is the wild card. Georgia's offense was already unpredictable, and now it's going from a pure pocket quarterback in Carson Beck to a dual-threat player in Gunner Stockton. During the regular season, Georgia was a much better passing team, but between Stockton and a healthier backfield, this offense could be more balanced.

Stockton's mobility could be a plus against both pass rushes: Indiana ranks 22nd nationally with 34 sacks and Notre Dame is 37th.

So which defense is better equipped to stop Georgia? Both potential opponents are highly ranked: Notre Dame is ninth in the nation in defensive yards per play, and Indiana is 12th. Notre Dame is third nationally in scoring defense, and Indiana is sixth.

Those would appear to be advantages over a Georgia offense that's only 44th in offensive yards per play and 29th in scoring. But the quality of competition also has to come into account:

* Indiana has faced the nation's No. 8 offense (Ohio State) but otherwise has not faced anyone in the top 50 and four teams in the top 100 or below.

Georgia's offense is battle-tested but unimpressive. The two potential defenses it will face are impressive but not that battle-tested.

Take all the above schedule strength into account, and here is how Georgia matches up versus the run and pass:

When Georgia runs: Indiana on paper is much better equipped, ranking No. 4 nationally in opponent yards per rushing attempt and Notre Dame is 84th. That comes with a qualifier: The Irish had to face Army and Navy. The Irish are due to get back Howard Cross, one of the best defensive tackles in the country, who has missed the past four games with an ankle injury.

When Georgia passes: Both seem a tough matchup. Notre Dame ranks No. 2 nationally in opponent yards per attempt, and Indiana is tied for third. That would seem to bode ill for a Georgia team that struggles with drops and probably won't have its strongest passer available.

But again schedule strength matters: Notre Dame has played six pass offenses ranked 75th or worse in yards per play and four that are 102nd or worse. Safety Xavier Watts is a legitimate star, but Notre Dame's starting cornerbacks are a sophomore and freshman.

As for Indiana, it has built some numbers against weak passing teams: five that rank 97th or worse. It did face Ohio State, the ninth-ranked passing team, and Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard had an efficient day: 22-for-26 for 201 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Indiana has the nation's second-ranked offense, and that comes with some credibility: Ohio State is the best defense it faced (No. 2 nationally), plus No. 23 Michigan and No. 27 Washington, four more in the top 60 and only two below 100.

Notre Dame, meanwhile, is only ranked 71st nationally in offensive yards per play. The top two defenses it has faced were No. 8 Northern Illinois and No. 13 Miami (Ohio), with only three more in the top 60.

Indiana is the bigger threat passing: Behind Rourke's arm, the Hoosiers are second nationally in yards per attempt, trailing only Ole Miss. The Fighting Irish rank only 71st in passing yards per attempt.

Still, Leonard's running ability is the thing that would worry Kirby Smart the most, especially since Leonard's running in the red zone has been particularly potent (14 rushing touchdowns), which could puncture a Georgia defense that has been a bend-but-don't-break unit. Opponents have a 47 percent touchdown percentage in the red zone, with the SEC championship the best display: Texas was held to four field goals while missing two more.

Notre Dame ranks third nationally in runs per attempt. Indiana is tied for 57th. And in case anyone needs reminding, Georgia's defensive strategy is predicated on stopping the run.

Georgia and Indiana don't have one. Georgia and Notre Dame have one: Georgia Tech, and the Fighting Irish fared better, scoring a 31-13 win in October at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. That's more impressive than Georgia's having to rally from 14 points with five minutes left in regulation and then winning in essentially a coin-flip overtime shootout.

The big caveat: King, a dual-threat quarterback, was injured when Notre Dame played in Atlanta.

Opinions and impressions might change after watching the game Friday night. But purely on paper, this seems an easy call for Georgia fans: Notre Dame is the tougher matchup. Leonard's running ability alone might be enough, but the Irish are closer in talent to Georgia than the Hoosiers: Notre Dame is ninth in the 247Sports Team Composite, and Indiana is 57th.

Georgia is second. Then again, the Bulldogs nearly lost at home to Georgia Tech (46th) only beat Kentucky (24th) by 1 and were routed by Ole Miss (20th). Maybe this unpredictable Georgia team will stop being that way in the Playoff.

Or maybe not.