Sixth-seeded (fourth-ranked) Penn State faces seventh-seeded (fifth-ranked) Notre Dame in the semifinals of the College Football Playoffs (CFP). The game will take place at the Orange Bowl in Miami. Both teams come into the matchup riding momentum. Penn State has had two decisive wins in the playoffs, over SMU and Boise State. Notre Dame has defeated Indiana and Georgia. This matchup is an intriguing one pitting two bluebloods that have helped define the history of college football. There is no doubt that this game will look a lot like other playoff games. It will be hard-fought, and ultimately it will be won in the trenches.
Penn State enters the Orange Bowl with a record of 13-2. The 13 wins is a record for the most wins in a single season for the Nittany Lions. Over the first two playoff games, the defense has been dominant. However, a key question looms for that Penn State defense. Following a left arm injury against Boise State, will defensive end Abdul Carter play? Even if he does, it is worth watching how effective he can or will be.
Notre Dame boasts a record of 13-1 and has won 12 in a row. Notre Dame’s 13 wins also represent a single-season school record. The Fighting Irish are very similar to Penn State in a few ways. First, Notre Dame’s defense has proven to be stout against some quality offenses. Additionally, Notre Dame sports a running back tandem that provides a similar threat to Penn State’s. The Penn State defense proved in the win over Boise State that the unit is up to a challenge from a strong running game, holding Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty to his lowest output of the season.
Big Game James
An important storyline underscoring this game has been the performance of Penn State, and head coach James Franklin, in big games. The win over Boise State in the quarterfinals was a step in the direction of quieting the criticisms. However, a win over Notre Dame to advance to the National Championship game will go much further.
In the Round 1 victory over SMU, and the quarterfinals defeat of Boise State, Penn State was expected to win. That has never been an issue for Franklin and Penn State. The larger concern has been in games where the Nittany Lions needed to punch above their weight. Countless games against Big Ten-rival Ohio State and Michigan are cases in point. Additionally, at Penn State Franklin has a record of 1-14 against teams ranked in the top five. The Orange Bowl provides a huge opportunity to put that criticism in the rear-view mirror.
#6 Penn State (13-2) Faces #7 Notre Dame (13-1): CFP Semifinals
When & Where: Thursday, January 9th, 7:30 pm ET, at Miami, Florida (Hard Rock Stadium)
Last Game’s Results: Penn State defeated Boise State 31-14 at the Fiesta Bowl in the quarterfinals of the CFP. Notre Dame beat Georgia 23-10 in a quarterfinal matchup at the Sugar Bowl.
Last Season’s Results: Penn State finished ranked #13 after a 10-3 season that ended with a Peach Bowl loss to Ole Miss. Notre Dame finished ranked #14 after a 10-3 season that ended with a 40-8 victory over Oregon State in the Sun Bowl.
Series History: The CFP Semifinals will be the 20th time these storied programs face off. Each team has won nine times, and there was one tie. The last time they played, Penn State won 31-10 in 2007. Interestingly, that was the first official White Out at Beaver Stadium. The team first played in 1913, a 14-7 win for Penn State. They also played each year between 1981 and 1992, with Penn State winning eight of the 12 contests.
Penn State Faces Notre Dame Key Players to Watch
Penn State Linebacker Dom DeLuca
Heading into the semifinal matchup against Notre Dame, a big point of emphasis for the Penn State defense will be stopping the run. While Penn State has had recent success in stopping strong rushing attacks, the Fighting Irish present a different type of challenge. Linebacker Dom DeLuca has stepped up in recent games and will need to have another big game in the Orange Bowl.
DeLuca, a redshirt junior, was named a team captain for the second straight season this year. A former walk-on, DeLuca embodies a lot of what makes college football great. He made a mark on special teams, being awarded the #0 jersey as the team’s leader on special teams. DeLuca is now a key contributor to the linebacker corps in coordinator Tom Allen’s defense.
DeLuca has been a spark in both Penn State playoff games. He returned an interception for a touchdown against SMU for the game’s first score. One of key plays in the win over Boise State featured DeLuca. As Boise State split out running back Jeanty wide and threw a quick pass to him, DeLuca quickly closed and made a textbook tackle on the all-world running back. The play was symbolic of DeLuca’s rise to stardom on the team, as well as the team’s grit in fighting to reach the CFP semifinals.
With Carter’s ability to impact the game from the defensive line in question, the rest of the defense needs to step up. While Penn State boasts a great secondary, stopping Notre Dame’s running game will also require strong linebacker play. DeLuca’s ability to continue to lead the defense and make impact plays make him a key player to watch in the Orange Bowl.
Notre Dame Quarterback Riley Leonard
The Penn State defense has been strong against the run this season. Holding Jeanty to his lowest output of the season, and preventing him from setting the single-season rushing record, is a testament to that strength. However, the Notre Dame rushing attack provides a unique challenge for Penn State. Against Boise State, everyone knew Jeanty was the focal point. For Notre Dame, there are a pair of strong running backs. Additionally, Riley Leonard is another threat from the quarterback position.
There are two main ways for a quarterback to impact the running game. First, throwing the ball well will cause a defense to back off to defend the pass. That opens up more running lanes. Additionally, the quarterback can become a rushing weapon himself. That is the case with Leonard at Notre Dame, where he is a dual-threat quarterback.
Leonard’s passing numbers are strong, as he has completed 66.8% of his passes, for 2,293 yards with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions. In the Notre Dame running game, Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price ranked first and third on the team, respectively, in rushing attempts, yards, and touchdowns. Sandwiched between those backs is Leonard. He ranks second on the team in carries (135), rushing yards (751), and rushing touchdowns (15).
Following Notre Dame’s only loss this season, 16-14 to Northern Illinois in the second week of the season, the offense has been on fire. In the ten straight wins that followed, the Fighting Irish scored under 30 points only once. Leonard has been a big part of that. His ability to impact the game both through the air and on the ground makes Leonard a key player to watch in the Orange Bowl.
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