No. 2 Georgia is resting its national championship hopes on backup quarterback Gunner Stockton.

Coach Kirby Smart said Monday that Georgia is preparing Stockton to start in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 in the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against No. 3 Notre Dame. Stockton took over when starter Carson Beck suffered a right elbow injury in the first half of the Bulldogs’ 22-19 overtime win over Texas in the Southeastern Conference championship game on Dec. 7 in Atlanta.

Georgia’s first-round bye in the playoffs has given Stockton, a sophomore, more time to prepare for his new starting role. Smart said the experience with the first-team is the primary benefit in “several practices” since the SEC championship game.

“He got lots of reps prior to these practices, but he’s getting much more now,” Smart said. “I do think ... when you get ready for an opponent like Notre Dame, you need time and we have time.”

The Fighting Irish advanced by beating Indiana 27-17 in the first round on Friday night. Smart said Stockton and Georgia can focus on Notre Dame.

“But I think the biggest thing is just competition at practice,” Smart said. “You know, the situations we put him in. All those things allow him to get better as a quarterback.”

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said Stockton will require adjustments by his defense.

“You evaluate, obviously, what they’ve done all season and you have a separate tape of what Stockton has done,” Freeman said Monday. “I think we have 80-something plays of him. He can run their offense. 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.”

Georgia announced on Dec. 9 that Beck and his family were considering treatment options for his elbow. Those options could include surgery, though Georgia has not released details about the injury.

Two weeks later, no decision has been released by Beck or Georgia.

“The only thing I can update is that they’re still going through those deliberations in terms of the decision-making process time, all the kind of decisions they have to make as a family,” Smart said.

Beck suffered the injury to his throwing arm in the first half of the SEC championship game and made a dramatic return to the field for the handoff on the game-winning play in overtime. Stockton had to leave the field for one play after having his helmet knocked off.

Even though he was able to take the snap and hand off to Trevor Etienne for the running back’s decisive 4-yard touchdown run, Beck was unable to raise his right arm.

Stockton’s job may get a little easier with Notre Dame defensive tackle Rylie Mills out. Freeman announced Monday that Mills will miss the rest of the season with a right knee injury he suffered against Indiana.

Mills had 37 tackles and 7 1/2 sacks this season and anchored the interior line while All-American Howard Cross II missed the final three regular season games with a high ankle sprain. Cross returned against Indiana.

Idaho Potato Bowl

Freshman wide receiver George Dimopoulos threw a 25-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge on the first play of double overtime and Jordan Hansen ended the game on a fourth-down sack to give Northern Illinois a 28-20 victory over Fresno State at Boise, Idaho.

Dimopoulos, who played quarterback in high school, also converted the two-point conversion when he passed it to quarterback Josh Holst for his second completion of the season.

Myrtle Beach Bowl

Owen McCown threw for 254 yards and a touchdown and UTSA scored the opening 27 points to cruise past short-handed Coastal Carolina 44-15 at Conway, S.C.

UTSA (7-6) broke away in the second quarter by scoring a touchdown on three straight drives for a 21-0 lead. McCown was 14 of 17 in the first half, including a 6-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Overmyer. McCown also scored on a 35-yard run. Coastal Carolina (6-7) finished the first half with just 140 total yards — 60 coming on the final drive. The Chanticleers punted on five straight drives to begin the game — with the longest possession lasting seven plays for 25 yards.