Notre Dame will be without one of its best defensive players in the Sugar Bowl against Georgia.

On Friday night against Indiana, defensive tackle Rylie Mills suffered a right knee injury when he was sacked by quarterback Kurtis Rourke when he collided with teammate Jaylen Sneed in the backfield. Mills remained on the field and was supported by Notre Dame’s training staff. While head coach Marcus Freeman was optimistic about Mills’ return to the College Football Playoff immediately after the game, an MRI revealed major damage to the knee that would end Mills’ career at Notre Dame.

“You can’t replace Rylie Mills,” Freeman said Monday.

Mills led Notre Dame’s defensive line in snaps played and elevated his play in November after Howard Cross III suffered a high ankle sprain against Florida State and missed the final three games of the regular season. Mills is also a captain – the second captain lost this season after cornerback Benjamin Morrison suffered a hip injury in October. The Irish are already without defensive ends Jordan Botelho and Boubacar Traore, both of whom were lost to ACL Tears in September.

This all puts Notre Dame in a tough spot heading into Georgia, where the ability to get to the line of scrimmage will be paramount.

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Senior Gabriel Rubio will start in Mills’ place, with backups Donovan Hinish and Sean Sevillano Jr. coming off the bench first. Hinish has been a regular contributor throughout the season, including during Cross’s absence in November. However, that work came against Virginia, Army and USC. Next comes Georgia.

“You don’t prepare them in a week,” Freeman said. “They prepared every day throughout the season. That’s why every repetition you do in a practice is important and will be evaluated. They don’t know when this representative will face Georgia. You need to prepare yourself in practice so that you can improve, but you will be ready when your number is called. We have a lot of people who are preparing in this way and who will play a bigger role.

“Donnie played at a high level. Gabe Rubio is playing at a high level and Howard is obviously back. We get the fourth and fifth guy ready to go. They have been preparing for this moment all season. It’s not something you just do now.”

Notre Dame expects defensive end Bryce Young and offensive guard Rocco Spindler to return for Georgia after both left the Indiana game with injuries.

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(Photo: Justin Casterline/Getty Images)