Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton (10) is trying to get his team past Notre Dame in the CFP semifinal on Thursday in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
The first national title game participant will be decided Thursday night in Miami when Notre Dame and Penn State square off in the College Football Playoff semifinal. The second semifinal featuring Ohio State vs. Texas will follow on Friday night in Arlington, Texas.
This is a matchup of two proud football programs that have gone a long time before experiencing the ultimate glory. Both teams have multiple national titles to their name but neither has won one since the 1980s. One of these teams is two wins away from ending that drought, and that starts on Thursday night.
Both teams have won two playoff games convincingly to get here, and both have leaned on strong defensive play and the running game along the way. The Fighting Irish have been particularly dependent on the run game, led by the legs of QB Riley Leonard. His counterpart, Penn State QB Drew Allar, has better passing numbers in the playoffs after throwing for three touchdowns against Boise State in the quarterfinals.
Will the passing game carry the Nittany Lions, especially with all-around weapon TE Tyler Warren, or will Notre Dame’s defense shut it down just like it did in the first two rounds of the playoffs? And how will Penn State contain Leonard and the Notre Dame ground game? Those are the questions that may decide who advances to the championship game.
Drew Allar was hit as he threw in a crucial spot and Notre Dame’s Christian Gray comes up with one of the biggest interceptions in College Football Playoff history.
The Irish will have it at the PSU 42 with 33 seconds left.
Notre Dame sacked, forced to punt
The Irish had their shot, but Penn State’s defense came up huge with a sack when it mattered most and the Nits make the stop.
PSU will have it at its own 15-yard line.
Notre Dame over midfield
PSU had Notre Dame stopped but an illegal hands to the face penalty bailed the Irish out.
PSU punts
It’s a quick three-and-out for Penn State and Notre Dame will have it back at the 24-yard line with 2:34 left in the game.
What a second half of shifts. With 4:38 to go, it’s anyone’s game. I have a sneaking feeling we could be heading for overtime.
TOUCHDOWN NOTRE DAME!!!
The Irish have tied it up with less than 5 minutes left in the game! Riley Leonard finds a wide-open Jaden Greathouse for a 54-yard touchdown after a PSU defender slips.
We have a live one at the Orange Bowl folks.
Notre Dame 24, PSU 24
Touchdown PSU!
It’s Nicholas Singleton into the end zone for his third touchdown of the night and the Nittany Lions are in the lead with just under 8 minutes left in the game!
PSU 24, Notre Dame 17
Notre Dame interception negated by penalty
PSU’s Drew Allar just floated a ball right into the arms of a Notre Dame defender in the end zone, but a ref threw a flag for pass interference so it’s all for naught.
Interception Penn State!
Riley Leonard throws his second pick of the game and it’s a brutal one. Dani Dennis-Sutton leapt up for it and the Nits will have it at the ND 39.
Touchdown Penn State!
The Nittany Lions have tied things up on a tough run by Nicholas Singleton from inside the 10. Things are getting good at the Orange Bowl!
PSU 17, Notre Dame 17
PSU on the move
Now it’s the Nits that are moving the ball at will. They’re over midfield and into the red zone after a long pass from Drew Allar to Khalil Dinkins.
Notre Dame turning the tide
This game has flipped. The Penn State that was bullying Notre Dame in the first half has vanished.
Touchdown Notre Dame!
The Irish break the deadlock early in the fourth quarter and it’s Jeremiyah Love that scores it on an incredible effort play on the goal line!
Notre Dame 17, PSU 10
End of 3Q: PSU 10, Notre Dame 10
The Irish are moving the ball as the third quarter comes to a close. It’ll be third-and-2 at the PSU 35 when the fourth quarter begins.
PSU punt
You’ll sense a theme now. Both defenses have buckled down a bit after the opening score of the second half.
Notre Dame will start at its own 28 with 4:26 left in the third quarter.
Notre Dame punts it back
And now we’re trading punts. Penn State will have it back at its own 15-yard line after PSU punt returner Zion Tracy opted not to call for fair catch and got absolutely blasted right after catching the ball.
Penn State punts it away
The momentum has shifted. Notre Dame just stuffed PSU on its first possession of the second half and will have the ball back with a chance to take its first lead of the game.
Touchdown Notre Dame!
Well the Irish are wide awake now! They just took the opening possession of the second half 75 yards in eight plays and scored on a short run by Riley Leonard.
Game on at the Orange Bowl!
Notre Dame 10, PSU 10
Notre Dame on the march
The Irish are moving the ball to start the second half and they seem to be committed to the ground game. They’re over midfield now.
Leonard back for second half
We are back for the second half. Notre Dame will have the ball first and Riley Leonard is back in the game.
PSU owning the line of scrimmage
Penn State is just bossing Notre Dame up front. And on both sides of the ball. Notre Dame went toe-to-toe with Georgia in the trenches in the Sugar Bowl and this team is getting handled by the Nittany Lions so far. They got points late while PSU was in prevent, but they’ll need to improve up front to stay in this.
Halftime: PSU 10, Notre Dame 3
The Irish are finally on the board as time expires in the first half after Mitch Jeter hits a 41-yard attempt to send it into the break.
Backup QB Steve Angeli was 6-of-7 for 44 yards filling in for Riley Leonard. No status update yet on the Irish starting quarterback.
Notre Dame nearing FG range
The Irish are still moving the ball with backup Steve Angeli under center. They’re at the PSU 28 with under a minute left in the half.
Riley Leonard leaves field
The Notre Dame QB just got slammed to the turf by a PSU defender and he’s in the medical tent for testing.
Touchdown Penn State!
The Nits have the first touchdown of the game and it comes on a short run by Nicholas Singleton.
PSU 10, Notre Dame 0
Penn State converts on fourth down
The Nits were facing a fourth-and-2 just inside the red zone and Drew Allar hit Tyler Warren on a short pass for the first down.
PSU on the march
The Nits have put Tyler Warren in at QB for a couple plays and they’re immediately out past midfield after a couple solid runs by the tight end.
Notre Dame punts it
The Irish had made their way out to midfield before their drive stalled out.
PSU will have the ball at its own 10-yard line with just under 10 minutes left in the half.
PSU opts for points
Given the way this game is going, you can understand Penn State taking the points on the field goal attempt after that ugly goal-to-go series. However, forcing Notre Dame to go the length of the field for a TD if you don’t convert a short touchdown on fourth down isn’t the worst alternative.
Penn State scores first
The Nittany Lions chose to attempt a short field goal to get some points on the board after a third-down pass from Drew Allar to Nicholas Singleton was dropped.
PSU 3, Notre Dame 0
End of Q1: PSU 0, Notre Dame 0
There was no score in the opening quarter, but the Nittany Lions are knocking on the door now. They’ll face a third-and-3 at the ND 3 when the second quarter begins.
Tyler Warren makes first catch
The senior tight end is key in this game and he just took a screen pass over midfield and trucked Notre Dame’s Xavier Watts in the process.
Penn State converted on a fourth-and-short and is nearing the red zone now.
Interception Penn State!
Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard just overthrew his receiver on a route over the middle and Zakee Wheatley comes down with the pick!
The Irish will have it back at their own 33.
PSU punt
The Nittany Lions were able to get a first down but that’s it. So the Irish will have the ball at their own 35-yard line when they take over.
Notre Dame punts it back
The Irish got over midfield but were unable to move it past that.
Oddly, PSU’s punt returner decided to field the punt at the 2, so that’s where the Nittany Lions will take over.
Notre Dame over midfield
Now it’s the Irish with a huge chunk play as Riley Leonard finds Mitch Evans for a 32-yard gain.
PSU punts it
The Penn State drive fizzles out there and they punt it to Notre Dame.
The Irish will have their first possession at their own 10-yard line.
Penn State on the march
The Nits took advantage of an Irish blitz with a screen pass, which Nicholas Singleton took 23 yards and over midfield.
We are underway in the Orange Bowl!
Penn State will have the ball first after Notre Dame deferred.
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Good evening folks and welcome to our live tracker for tonight’s CFP semifinal game between Notre Dame and Penn State!
We still have about an hour before kickoff at the Orange Bowl, so here’s some reading material to catch up on everything that’s happened in college football this week.
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