Penn State faces Notre Dame with journey to the nationwide title recreation on the road – WPVI-TV

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)
Faculty Soccer Odds: Notre Dame by 1 1/2.
Sequence file: Tied 9-9-1.
What's at stake?
A visit to the College Football Playoff title game awaits the winner within the first yr of the expanded 12-team format. The profitable coach, both Penn State's James Franklin or Notre Dame's Marcus Freeman, may have the prospect to develop into the first Black coach to win a nationwide title in school soccer's highest stage. What had the look of one more common yr for Penn State has an opportunity to be higher, because of a pair of double-digit wins within the playoff up to now. Notre Dame received its first main bowl recreation since 1994 final week, with its 23-10 defeat of Georgia within the Sugar Bowl, which was delayed by a day due to the lethal truck explosion within the French Quarter.
Key matchup
Notre Dame defense towards Penn State TE Tyler Warren. At 6-foot-6, 260 kilos with velocity and flexibility (he has handed for, run for and caught TDs this season), Warren is, as Freeman put it, "a troublesome matchup drawback." As if typically the case with huge, athletic tight ends, if a protection has somebody large enough to cowl him, that particular person's often not quick sufficient, whereas anybody quick sufficient often isn't large enough. Boise State coach Spencer Danielson mentioned attending to the quarterback is likely to be one of the simplest ways to cease Warren, however the tight finish nonetheless caught two landing passes towards the Broncos. Combating Irish security Xavier Watts has six interceptions for the nation's second-ranked scoring protection and figures to get first shot at Warren.
Gamers to look at
Notre Dame: QB Riley Leonard. The Duke switch handed for a season-low 90 yards final week within the win over Georgia, the place Notre Dame's touchdowns got here off a one-play drive following a turnover and a kickoff return. Even together with his capability to run – Riley rushed for 80 yards towards Georgia – it figures he might want to do extra within the air to beat the Nittany Lions.
Penn State: DE Abdul Carter. The Large Ten Defensive Participant of the 12 months anchored the sixth-best protection within the nation this yr, however went out early towards Boise State with what appeared like a left arm or shoulder damage. Franklin mentioned Wednesday that Carter needs to play and will likely be a game-time choice. If he's accessible, Carter could be a recreation wrecker. He has 11 sacks and two compelled fumbles this season.
Info & figures
Leonard has 34 speeding touchdowns in his profession, which locations him second amongst lively FBS quarterbacks. … Penn State operating backs Kaytron Allen (1,026) and Nicholas Singleton (1,015) every surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the season in final week's win over Boise State. … Penn State's 34 wins since 2022 are probably the most over a three-season stretch in program historical past. … That is Notre Dame's sixth look within the Orange Bowl and its first since 1995, a 31-26 loss to Florida State. … Penn State received the final recreation between these groups, 31-10 in 2007, holding Notre Dame to 144 yards in offense.
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