With a trip to the National Championship game on the line, Notre Dame (14-1) defeated Penn State (13-4) 27-24 in the Orange Bowl on Thursday. The semifinal win in this year’s expanded 12-team College Football Playoff vaults the No. 7 seed Fighting Irish into the National Championship game in Atlanta on Jan. 20. Seeking its first national title since 1988, Notre Dame will face the Cotton Bowl winner, either Ohio State or Texas to decide the national champion. Lou Holtz led the Irish to their last championship, defeating West Virginia 34-21 in the 1988 Fiesta Bowl to cap a perfect 12-0 season. All told, Notre Dame has claimed 11 national titles from 1924 to 1988.
“We knew this was going to be a heavyweight fight,” Irish head coach Marcus Freeman said on ESPN immediately after the emotional win. “It’s a really good team we just faced. I told our guys that we’ve been in this position before. They believed. They got the job done. I’m really proud of them. We’re looking forward to the next one.”
Orange Bowl: Hard-Fought Instant Classic
In beating No. 6 seed Penn State for its 13th consecutive win on Thursday in a back-and-forth instant classic, Notre Dame improved its all-time record to 10-9-1 over the Nittany Lions. It also marked the Irish’s first-ever win at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens in three attempts. The Fighting Irish will be making their first appearance in the national title game since 2013.
After being outplayed in the first half of the Orange Bowl, the Fighting Irish recorded a legacy-defining victory with a determined comeback victory over the Nittany Lions. Mitch Jeter, who struggled earlier in the season with a groin injury, nailed a thrilling last-second 41-yard field goal to win the game. Jeter’s foot is sending the Irish to the National Championship game. A Christian Gray interception of Penn State’s Drew Allar set up the winning kick. Gray’s interception gave Notre Dame the ball in Penn State territory.
“He’s been clutch all year,” Freeman said of Jeter on ESPN after the game. “He’s special. It’s a special group. You find out a lot about your team at its lowest moments. This is a group that continued to stay together. They trust each other. They leaned on each other, and they got better. That’s the reality of this team.”
Backs Against The Wall for Notre Dame
To no one’s surprise, physicality played a key role in the outcome of the Orange Bowl. Penn State dominated the Irish early on both sides of the ball. The Nittany Lions controlled the lines of scrimmage to open the game. As a result, Notre Dame found itself trailing by two possessions for the first time all season. Penn State moved the ball with relative ease in the first half. Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton scored all three of Penn State’s touchdowns in the Orange Bowl. Drew Allar was effective through the air—though not to any wide receivers. The Penn State wide receivers did not make a catch-all night against Notre Dame’s elite defense. In a methodical first half, both teams combined for just 13 points. They picked up the tempo in the second half, combining to score 31 points in the fourth quarter alone.
Next Man Up
With their backs against the wall, the Irish overcame injuries, turnovers, and penalties to emerge victorious. Quarterback Riley Leonard had to undergo concussion protocol late in the first half. Right guard Rocco Spindler left the game with an injury. So too did left tackle Anthonie Knapp. Steve Angeli filled in admirably for Leonard late in the first half. Angeli threw for 44 yards and was 6-of-7 on pass attempts. He led the Irish to a Jeter field goal to make it a one-possession game at halftime.
Leonard did not have his best game for the Irish in the Orange Bowl. Despite throwing two interceptions, he led his team to victory by extending plays and drives with his legs. He capped off the third quarter’s first drive with a three-yard rushing touchdown to even the game at 10. With Penn State leading 24-17, Leonard delivered again. He hit Jaden Greathouse for a 54-yard touchdown pass with less than four minutes remaining in the game.
“He is a competitor,” Freeman said of Leonard. “Competitors find a way to win. That’s what Riley does. That’s what this team does.”
Looking Ahead
With the improbable win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame has now notched seven victories over opponents ranked in the AP Poll this season. The Irish also beat No. 20 Texas A&M; No. 15 Louisville; No. 24 Navy; No. 18 Army; No. 9 Indiana; and No. 2 Georgia. The CFP victory over Penn State was the 14th-ranked win of the Freeman era at Notre Dame. That is more than any other Irish head coach in the first three years of his tenure. The total equals the most of any FBS program over the last three years (Georgia, 14).
As Notre Dame eyes its first national title since the Lou Holtz era, Freeman’s squad must get healthy to take on either Ohio State or Texas on Jan. 20. The Irish showed their grit and resilience in a memorable victory over Penn State in the Orange Bowl. If nothing else, they proved they have the heart of a champion. The championship game, however, will demand an even higher level of execution and intensity. Freeman, along with offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock and defensive coordinator Al Golden must find ways to elevate play on both sides of the ball. Consistency will be crucial. If they can do that, Notre Dame has a legitimate chance of fulfilling the dream of delivering a national championship to South Bend.
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