No. 7 Notre Dame beats No. 6 Penn State, advances to first title game since 2012 season

The GIST: And just like that, one half of January 20th’s college football National Championship is set after No. 7 Notre Dame clinched their spot with last night’s 27–24 Orange Bowl win over No. 6 Penn State.

• Here’s how the Fighting Irish got the job done and a preview of tonight’s 7:30 p.m. ET Cotton Bowl before No. 5 Texas takes on No. 8 Ohio State for the second spot in the title game.

Notre Dame victorious after back-and-forth fourth quarter, will play for first national title since 1988: Penn State’s ferocious defense had the Fighting Irish in the first half, limiting ND to just three points — but quarterback (QB) Riley Leonard can’t be silenced for long.

• The senior returned from an injury scare and capped off an explosive fourth quarter by leading his squad down the field in the final minute and setting up a game-winning field goal for kicker Mitch Jeter.

• The Orange Bowl dub didn’t come easy though, especially with a relentless rushing attack from Nittany Lions running back (RB) Nick Singleton, who scored three touchdowns, and a Penn State defensive line that sacked Leonard five times.

• Now, Notre Dame head coach (HC) Marcus Freeman is on the brink of making history, with the chance to become the first Black HC to win a football natty. How’s that for a birthday present?

Explosive offense expected in tonight’s Cotton Bowl: In contrast to last night’s initially slow affair, Texas vs. Ohio State could be a touchdown fiesta from the jump, pitting dynamic Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers (who transferred out of Ohio State back in 2022) against ever-consistent Buckeyes QB Will Howard.

• Both teams have excelled under the playoff pressure, but only one has absolutely dominated their competition in the postseason — and that’s Ohio State, the squad that routed then–undefeated No. 1 seed Oregon 41–21 in the quarter-final.

• Texas, on the other hand, needed double overtime — and a little magic from tight end Gunnar Helm — to clinch their semis spot. Who will rise to the occasion tonight?