Penn State faces Notre Dame with trip to the national title game on the line
Penn State tight end Tyler Warren (44) pulls in a touchdown pass as Boise State safety Ty Benefield (0) defends during the second half of the Fiesta Bowl College Football Playoff game, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Glendale, Ariz. Credit: AP/Rick Scuteri
No. 3 Notre Dame (13-1, CFP No. 7 seed) vs. No. 5 Penn State (13-2, CFP No. 6 seed), Thursday, 7:30 p.m. EST (ESPN)
BetMGM College Football Odds: Notre Dame by 1 1/2.
Series record: Tied 9-9-1.
What’s at stake?
A trip to the College Football Playoff title game awaits the winner in the first year of the expanded 12-team format. The winning coach, either Penn State's James Franklin or Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman, will have the chance to become the first Black coach to win a national title at college football's highest level. What had the look of yet another average year for Penn State has a chance to be better, thanks to a pair of double-digit wins in the playoff so far. Notre Dame won its first major bowl game since 1994 last week, with its 23-10 defeat of Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, which was delayed by a day because of the deadly truck explosion in the French Quarter.
Key matchup
Notre Dame defense against Penn State TE Tyler Warren. At 6-foot-6, 260 pounds with speed and versatility (he has passed for, run for and caught TDs this season), Warren is, as Freeman put it, “a difficult matchup problem.” As if often the case with big, athletic tight ends, if a defense has someone big enough to cover him, that person's usually not fast enough, while anyone fast enough usually isn't big enough. Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said getting to the quarterback might be the best way to stop Warren, but the tight end still caught two touchdown passes against the Broncos. Fighting Irish safety Xavier Watts has six interceptions for the country's second-ranked scoring defense and figures to get first shot at Warren.
Players to watch
Notre Dame: QB Riley Leonard. The Duke transfer passed for a season-low 90 yards last week in the win over Georgia, where Notre Dame's touchdowns came off a one-play drive following a turnover and a kickoff return. Even with his ability to run — Riley rushed for 80 yards against Georgia — it figures he will need to do more in the air to beat the Nittany Lions.
Penn State: DE Abdul Carter. The Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year anchored the sixth-best defense in the country this year, but went out early against Boise State with what looked like a left arm or shoulder injury. Franklin said Wednesday that Carter wants to play and will be a game-time decision. If he's available, Carter can be a game wrecker. He has 11 sacks and two forced fumbles this season.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) runs from Georgia defensive back Malaki Starks (24) during the first half in the quarterfinals of a College Football Playoff, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025, in New Orleans. Credit: AP/Matthew Hinton
Facts & figures
Leonard has 34 rushing touchdowns in his career, which places him second among active FBS quarterbacks. ... Penn State running backs Kaytron Allen (1,026) and Nicholas Singleton (1,015) each surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season in last week's win over Boise State. ... Penn State's 34 wins since 2022 are the most over a three-season stretch in program history. ... This is Notre Dame's sixth appearance in the Orange Bowl and its first since 1995, a 31-26 loss to Florida State. ... Penn State won the last game between these teams, 31-10 in 2007, holding Notre Dame to 144 yards in offense.
