Notre Dame is only one win away from a trip to the National Championship—something they haven't accomplished in over a decade and haven't won in over forty years. Art by The Irish Tribune Liam Farrell - Associate Editor, Senior Football Writer Score Prediciton: 27-10 Notre Dame The Notre Dame pass rush gets to Drew Allar early and rattles the Penn State quarterback. In a game where Notre Dame must take control early, the Irish defense forces an early turnover and turns it into points. The Notre Dame rushing attack is far more explosive than it was against Georgia and Jadarian Price breaks a run similar to his touchdown scamper against Texas A&M. On the other hand, the Penn State offensive line struggles to move the ND front and Singleton and Allen can’t find perimeter rushing gaps. It will be close throughout before Notre Dame pulls away with the game in the late third quarter. My bold prediction for this game is that Kris Mitchell will have Notre Dame’s longest-receiving touchdown catch of the season. Clayton Stohler - First & Gold Podcast Co-Host Score Prediction: 27-10 Notre Dame Outclassed from start to finish. Penn State is a good team with an elite coordinator duo. It has individual talent in Edwards, Singleton, Allar, and Warren that command respect on offense. Abdul Carter is a freak of nature. But ultimately, it won’t be enough because Penn State lacks something ND doesn’t. Killer instinct. It will be on full display as ND plays cleaner than they did in the first 2 games of the playoffs. Namely on offense. The o-line wakes up, Jadarian Price and Mitch Evans with the strongest showings in their respective seasons. It’s an all-out whooping with zero mercy on the menu. ND punches their ticket to the title game in emphatic fashion. Use code " IrishTribune20 " to get $20  off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Brady Burden - Social Media Intern Score Prediction: 35-24 Notre Dame The Irish continue to assert their dominance on the defensive side of the ball, forcing multiple turnovers that result in scores for the Notre Dame offense. Despite the injuries, Freeman has the guys ready to go for another big-time matchup, walk away as Orange Bowl champs, and head to the National Championship. Noah Wehby - Writer Score Prediction: 24-21 Notre Dame In a way, this game may be more difficult than the one against Georgia. Notre Dame’s offense will need to be more efficient than the one that was on the field in the Sugar Bowl because of Penn State’s ability to put up points. Neither Love nor Price broke a big run against Georgia, so Notre Dame seems due for an explosive run. Defensively, it will all be about stopping the Penn State ground game that has caused so many problems for other teams. Notre Dame will be up to the task with their physical and stout front. Overall, the game will be decided by the turnover margin which Notre Dame will win with an interception or two. Peter Mulroy - Associate Editor, First & Gold Podcast Host Score Prediction: 28-17 Notre Dame   On a night where both teams’ emotions will be running as high as they have in quite some time, expect this game to be another good one.   Two top-flight defenses who possess strong leadership at the QB position and incredibly gifted running games will make for great entertainment, but in the end, it’s my belief that Marcus Freeman’s unit -- guided by the support of coordinators Al Golden and Mike Denbrock -- will lead the Irish to their first national title berth since 2012.   Despite Jeremiyah Love being banged up -- like everyone else this time of year -- look for the electrifying sophomore to pace the ND backfield alongside running mate Jadarian Price, while Riley Leonard continues to make plays, particularly as it relates to extending drives with his legs. Defensively, following a brilliant performance against Georgia, the Irish will keep the physicality high as they look to stop Penn State back Nick Singleton in a similar fashion to the way they shut down UGA’s ground attack last week in New Orleans.   As mentioned earlier, no one comes into this game 100% healthy, and while the Nittany Lions might be a bit “healthier” on the first line, the Irish are deeper. Even though Cooper Flanigan is gone for the remainder of the season, Love and Howard Cross III are good to go for this one, and that’s huge. The Irish have supported their injured at a high level all season. They’ll do it again tonight.   Simply put: Notre Dame will be too much in a battle between two historic programs. Brenden Duffy - Associate Editor, Senior Staff Writer Score Prediction: 24-21 Notre Dame Run the damn ball. This will be the key for both teams. Given their success against IU and UGA, it is hard to imagine the Irish run game will be stopped tonight. The key on defense for ND will be putting pressure on Allar. Like most QBs, this is when he is at his worst. The Irish will likely need one or two Allar mistakes to win this game and I expect that to occur. Connor Regan - Long-Form Writer Score Prediction: 27-23 Notre Dame Both teams boast elite defensive units, but unlike the Georgia game, both offenses will find it easier to score points. This time, Love and Price will shine and deliver a more balanced offensive performance than against Georgia. This will be Notre Dame’s most complete offensive display in the playoffs so far. Expect a signature Price breakaway score and a couple of passing touchdowns by Leonard. Notre Dame’s defense will find a way to disrupt Allar and shut down Tyler Warren, forcing Penn State’s offense to rely on the ground game. Ultimately, the Nittany Lions won’t have enough firepower to overcome the Irish. They’ll settle for a few field goals on stalled drives early on and won’t be able to mount a significant comeback through the air. This game will be even closer than Notre Dame-Georgia, but the Irish will manage to stay just out of Penn State’s reach the entire game, culminating in a narrow victory. The Fighting Irish of Notre Dame punch their ticket to the 2025 National Championship game. Max Uretsky - Analyst Score Prediction: 24-17 Notre Dame The Irish are playing with a different kind of fire right now and I think that continues this week. I was not overly impressed with the Penn State victory over Boise State. They benefited from two fumbles, three interceptions, and two missed field goals and still didn't really pull away until late in the game. Notre Dame will not do them those same favors. Both teams will look to lean on their run game against talented fronts but the Sugar Bowl proved ND knows how to find ways to pick up yards when necessary even when the rushing attack isn't picking up the huge yardage they are accustomed to. The ability to get consistent pressure on PSU quarterback Drew Allar will force him into some bad throws that ND will take advantage of and use to flip the field. Mitch Jeter continues his hot kicking streak with a couple of late second-half field goals that seal the game and send Notre Dame to the National Championship! Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

One of the biggest stories surrounding Notre Dame all year has been the injuries this team has continued to fight through. It started before the season began, and has continued throughout the season all the way to the playoffs, where Notre Dame's depth has truly shined. Photo by The Irish Tribune The first injury of many to come happened in fall camp, when Charles Jagusah tore his right pec. This injury left a hole in the most important spot on any offensive line; the left tackle. The offensive line coming into the season was already young and inexperienced, but with the injury, they would turn to a true freshman, Anthonie Knapp, to fill in. Knapp's season has been a little up and down, but he has been able to step up and provide quality play for this Notre Dame offense. His play this season even awarded him a spot on the Freshman All-American team. Knapp came to Notre Dame as a three-star tackle who seemed destined to wait his turn behind Jagusah, but ever since he was thrust into this new role, he has been a solid piece for an offense that ranked third in the country in points per game. As the offensive line finished their stint of injuries, it marked the beginning of a long list of injuries the defense had to sustain all year. In the game against Purdue, senior edge rusher Jordan Botelho also suffered a season-ending ACL tear. Botelho was set to be a big part of what the defense wanted to do this year, but that was unfortunately cut short. His injury meant that redshirt freshman Boubacar Traore and junior Junior Tuihalamaka were set to receive more snaps. Traore was off to a hot start to start the season with three sacks and a pick-six. Tuihalamaka was relatively quiet all year, except for an interception at the goal line against Miami (OH) - until Notre Dame faced off against Georgia in the biggest game of the year. In that game, Tuihalamaka was a force, resulting in a sack and a fumble recovery, which set Notre Dame up for their only offensive touchdown of the game. It was one of many plays made in big moments this season by depth players. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Soon after Botelho went down for the year, Notre Dame's VYPER position was hit again when Traore suffered his own misfortune with yet another ACL tear. With Botelho and Traore both out, defensive coordinator Al Golden looked to true freshman Bryce Young to take his place. Young has been most effective on special teams, where he has been a game-wrecker all year with three blocked punts. His first solo sack came in one of the biggest games all year against Indiana. His talent and athleticism even caught the eye of Georgia Head Coach, Kirby Smart, who marveled at his impressive length and athleticism. A short time after this, Notre Dame's defense would see their most detrimental loss, Benjamin Morrison. Morrison, a junior, had been starting at cornerback ever since his freshman year. In those three years, he made a name for himself for being one of the best corners in the country and a projected first-round pick. Not only did Notre Dame lose a multiple-time All-American, but they also lost a team captain. In his place, true freshman Leonard Moore stepped up. Moore, only a three-star coming out of high school, was not meant to see significant playing time, but Morrison's injury and Jaden Mickey's departure changed all of that. Since then, Moore has been asked to play every down, sometimes against the other team's best weapon. Moore has thrived in his role, constantly posting impressive PFF grades and even making it on the Freshman All-American team. With the hit to the secondary's depth, Rod Heard II and Jordan Clark have also been huge contributors to a unit that has been consistently one of the best in the country. Another impactful injury happened just a few weeks ago against Indiana in the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff. Notre Dame lost another team captain, Rylie Mills. Mills has been a star over the past couple of years as a defensive tackle. Mills had a dominant 2024 season with 37 tackles and 7.5 sacks along the interior. Mills' injury couldn't have come at a worse time in the season. Following the Indiana win, Notre Dame was set to take on the SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs. Georgia has always imposed a tough, physical brand of football, a style well-suited for Mills. Instead, Notre Dame's defense would have to rely on Donovan Hinish and Gabriel Rubio. Together, with the help of the rest of the defense, they only allowed 66 rushing yards the entire game. As a perfect summary of the importance of depth on this team, Hinish made the game-sealing sack to secure their win versus Georgia. Overall, this team has seen numerous other injuries throughout the season that have left players out for weeks at a time. Whether that be Jordan Faison, Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, Billy Schrauth, or others. As the injuries kept piling up, this team continued to adapt and keep moving forward, a true testament to the coaching and the culture that Freeman has built. The further this team continues to go, the harder these injuries will hit, but this has also given the other players a chance to step up and perform at a high level - something they haven't shied away from. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

It may be Miami, but the 2025 Orange Bowl will host a Snow Bowl reunion between the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame and the Penn State Nittany Lions. Photo by The Irish Tribune Although the series dates back to 1913, this is only their 20th meeting and their second matchup in the postseason. They faced off four times between 1913 and 1928 before taking a nearly 50-year hiatus. That break ended when Dan Devine and the Fighting Irish beat Joe Paterno and the Nittany Lions 20-9. Following that postseason game, the programs signed a 12-year home-and-home agreement that began in 1981. During this stretch, 5/12 games were decided by a single score, and the series was cemented as a modern rivalry that the broader college football audience grew to anticipate. While several excellent games were played, one stands out above the rest. It was a below-freezing November day in South Bend, with light flurries coming down and a full-on storm threatening. The Irish limped into the game, with QB Rick Mirer sick with a stomach bug and Jerome Bettis with a tweaked ankle. Penn State struck first, rushing for a TD, but had their extra point blocked, earning them only 6 points for their efforts. The Irish offense struggled to get the ball in the end zone, settling for 3 points each quarter and turning the ball over twice. PSU’s QB Kerry Collins put the Nittany Lions up 16-9 with 4:25 left in the 4th. A 4th FG wouldn’t help the struggling Irish offense, and a touchdown would only tie the score at 16: the Irish would need to score their first touchdown of the day and follow it with a 2-point conversion to win. After a 4-minute 61-yard drive, the Irish sat on the Penn State 3-yard line. It all came down to this - on 4th down with only 25 seconds left, down 7, Rick Mirer tossed a floater over just over the line to Bettis for a touchdown, bringing the Irish within 1. Penn State knew what was coming, and Holtz lined his offense up for a 2-point conversion. As Mirer dropped back, his pocket began collapsing under the pressure, forcing him to scramble outside. While being chased by two defenders, nothing appeared open, yet he tossed a prayer off his back foot, holding the game’s fate in his hands. The ball sailed to the back corner of an empty end zone, only to be met at the last second by a diving Reggie Brooks, who reeled it in to put the Irish up 17-16 and steal the game. The miraculous come-from-behind win would go down in Notre Dame history and be dubbed the “Snow Bowl.” After more than a decade of yearly clashes, the series took another hiatus that lasted until 2006, when a 2-game home-and-home agreement was scheduled. The Irish stole the 2006 game at Beaver Stadium, 41-17, before the Nittany Lions won 31-10 at Notre Dame Stadium in 2007. Since then, the two haven't met in either the regular season or postseason and the series sits deadlocked with a 9-9-1 tie. The winner of this matchup has a chance to take the series lead and move one step closer to the ultimate goal - a National Championship. Both teams have fielded similar criticism over the last 20 years: "Oh, they never play anybody," "They haven't won a Title since the '80s," "They're not a powerhouse anymore" but here we stand - with both Notre Dame and Penn State on the precipice of greatness, one win away from a shot to restore their program to its former glory and silence the doubters. Which team wins the "Miami Snow Bowl," and which falls short of the big dance? Let's take a look. H ere’s everything you need to know ahead of Thursday's game. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Penn State James Franklin began his head coaching career at Vanderbilt, where he went (24-15) over three seasons before taking the Penn State job in 2014. After back-to-back (7-6) seasons, Franklin and the Nittany Lions broke through in 2016 with an impressive 11-3 record and a trip to the Rose Bowl. For the next 3 years, Franklin led PSU to (11-2), (9-4), and (11-2) seasons, winning two of three major bowl appearances. The team's success took a hit in 2020 and 2021, going (4-5) and (7-6), respectively, before rebounding. After an (11-2) record and a win in the Rose Bowl, the 2022 Nittany Lions finished at No. 7 in end-of-season polls, tying Franklin's highest final ranking at Penn State so far. 2023 wasn't quite as successful, but PSU finished (10-3) and a Peach Bowl appearance. Franklin began the 2024 season with a combined (88-39) record over 10 seasons in College Park. Penn State kicked off the 2024 season with a solid road win over West Virginia, but responded the following week with a less-than-impressive home opener, scraping by Bowling Green 34-27. After a BYE week, the Lions responded with an expected yet confident 56-0 win over the MAC's Kent State. They went on to beat No. 19 Illinois and UCLA by two scores each before facing Lincoln Riley and unranked USC. This was the first true scare of the year, but Penn State snuck away with a (33-30) OT road win despite ranking No. 4. After beating Wisconsin on the road, No. 3 Penn State welcomed notorious rival No. 4 Ohio State to Beaver Stadium. It was a tightly contested game. It was a close, defensive battle, with only three total touchdowns scored and only field goals exchanged in the 2nd half. Ultimately, the Buckeyes were able to stifle any Nittany Lion comeback and took the game 20-13. It was Penn State's first loss of the season, but it showed how competitive they could be against an elite opponent despite their close calls against unranked teams. PSU rallied with big wins over Washington and Purdue before hitting the road for Minnesota. Once again, the No. 4 Lions struggled against an unranked opponent and narrowly avoided the upset, 26-25. By this point, Penn State was 10-1, but lost their premiere matchup with OSU and nearly lost three one-score games against unranked opponents. Their 44-7 win over a mediocre Maryland team the following week did little to quiet critics who thought the Nittany Lions were overrated, but the following week provided an opportunity. Finishing the regular season with 4 straight wins earned PSU a BIG 10 Title game against then No. 1 Oregon. Despite a 13-point 4th quarter, the Ducks were able to outlast Penn State and secure the Title and an undefeated season. The loss was disappointing, but inspired far more confidence in Franklin's team with an impressive offensive performance, exceeding their showing against OSU. They ended the year (11-2), the first team of Franklin's tenure to record 11 wins in the regular season, and earned the 6th seed in the bracket, just above 7th seed Notre Dame. They drew ACC runner-up SMU in round 1 of the playoff and easily dispatched them 38-10, thanks to an overwhelming defensive performance. They racked up 3 interceptions, 2 of which were returned for defensive touchdowns, along with nearly 200 yards on the ground between Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton. Penn State then went on the road to face Mountain West Champion Boise State in the quarter-finals. Like the SMU matchup, the talent difference was palpable. The Nittany Lions stifled Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos offense, holding him to 3.5 YPC and 0 touchdowns while stealing 3 interceptions and a fumble. Penn State's offense leaned on their ground game once again, with RB Kaytron Allen going for 137 yards and QB Drew Allar tossing 3 touchdowns. Penn State Injury Report OT - Anthony Donkoh - Knee - Out DE - Abdul Carter - Arm - Gametime Decision DE - Dani Dennis-Sutton - Questionable CB - AJ Harris - Questionable S - KJ Winston - Questionable RB - Cam Wallace - Lower Body - Questionable Prior to the start of the playoff, James Franklin was still fielding criticism for failing to win "the big game" or get his squad deep into the postseason. However, his team's performance against SMU and Boise State seemed to quiet those critics. Penn State's defense has led them to victory countless times, and when they haven't been able to keep opponents from scoring, the Nittany Lions offense has stepped up to keep them competitive. Now, he faces arguably the biggest game of his career, and a win would surely earn him a level of appreciation in College Park not seen since Paterno. Is this version of James Franklin's Nittany Lions legit? Or are they only a slightly improved version of what we've come to expect from Penn State? If their postseason performance has afforded them anything, it's the confidence that they belong here and have a genuine shot at winning this game. Notre Dame Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish are coming off arguably the biggest win in modern Notre Dame history - a 23-10 battle with the SEC Champion Georgia Bulldogs. It was a defensive battle from the start. Notre Dame's defense forced a fumble to stop a deep Georgia drive into Irish territory, and neither team scored in the first quarter. After giving up a huge chunk pass down the sideline, the Irish defense held Georgia to a field goal for the game's first points. The Irish answered with two field goals to take a narrow 6-3 lead with less than a minute left in the half. That's when things changed. Instead of taking the conservative route and kneeling the ball, Kirby Smart elected to send his offense back out onto the field to try and score. First-time starter Gunner Stockton had been throwing the ball well, and the Bulldogs hoped to at least tie things up before giving the Irish the ball to start the 3rd quarter. On the first play of Georgia's drive, Stockton dropped back to throw but was blindsided by Notre Dame's RJ Oben, who chopped the ball out of his hands and onto the ground. The Irish recovered and immediately struck with a passing touchdown from Riley Leonard to Beaux Collins, stunning the Bulldogs and taking a 13-3 lead going into halftime. On the opening kickoff of the 2nd half, Notre Dame's Jayden Harrison fielded the ball at the 2-yard line and began slowly cutting his way through Georgia's return team before breaking a tackle and finding a seam, bursting into the open and down the sideline. He ran 98 yards to the house, putting the Irish up 20-3 while driving a dagger into Georgia. In just 54 seconds, the Irish scored 17 points, extending a 6-3 lead to 20-3. Georgia finally scored a touchdown with about 9 minutes left in the 3rd, but the Irish added another field goal after forcing a turnover on downs on the 9-yard line. The final backbreaker was a 4th & 1 on Notre Dame's own 19, where the Irish executed an 11-man personnel change, swapping the entire special teams unit with the offense before baiting the Bulldogs to jump offsides. The Irish proceeded to bleed the clock with multiple 3rd-down conversions until giving the ball back to Georgia. The Irish sealed the win with another turnover on downs, sacking Gunner Stockton at Georgia's 17. Once again, the Irish beat an elite opponent in a dominant fashion while not even playing their best ball. Notre Dame's offense collected fewer total yards than Georgia while only throwing for 90 yards and 1 touchdown. They didn't score a single rushing touchdown between Leonard, Price, and Love and relied heavily on Mitch Jeter's 3/3 mark on field goals and a special teams touchdown. Notre Dame Injury Report DT - Rylie Mills - Knee - Out TE - Cooper Flanagan - Achilles - Out WR - KK Smith - Collarbone - Questionable LB - Bodie Kahoun - Leg -  Questionable RB - Jeremiyah Love - Knee - Available LB - Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa - Knee - Available OL - Charles Jagusah - Pec - Available RG - Rocco Spindler - Ankle - Available It wasn't pretty and wasn't a blowout, but the Irish proved they can find a way to win against any caliber of team and can do so in various ways. Their defense proved it could absorb big chunk plays and a massive offensive line while still preventing scores and forcing turnovers. The offense proved it doesn't even need to throw the ball if its running backs aren't producing; it can just run with Leonard and beat you on special teams. While the UGA game was the biggest win of Freeman's career, a win against Penn State and a trip to the National Title would be the biggest achievement since at least 2012. A win would further Notre Dame's argument that they are indeed "back." The Matchup Oddsmakers see the Orange Bowl much like the Sugar Bowl: Low scoring and close. The line opened in favor of Notre Dame (-1.0) and hit a high of (-2.0) before settling at (-1.5). It should be close, even if the line moves again before game time. Oddsmakers predict yet another defensive battle with run-led offenses shedding clock. At 44.5, the implied score prediction is around 23-21. The points total should be more accurate this time around. Penn State has a significantly more prolific offense than Georgia and should have an easier time getting points on the board. On the other side, Penn State’s defense isn’t quite as elite as Georgia’s, so points should come slightly easier for the Irish. The Sugar Bowl was projected to be a razor-thin matchup but ended with a 13-point 23-10 win, despite hitting the under in points at 33. The Orange Bowl is unlikely to be so one-sided, and whichever way it goes, the score should be closer.  Notre Dame’s Defense vs Penn State’s Offense Penn State’s offense is essentially a better version of Georgia’s Carson Beck-led team. New offensive coordinator Andy Kotelnicki has proven he’s an effective and creative play caller by carving out multiple avenues for scoring. The Nittany Lions have two 1,000+ yard running backs, a 1,000+ yard tight end, and a 3,000+ yard passer. Needless to say, they’re balanced, and they can do it either way. Running backs Kaytron Allen and Nic Singleton are both highly effective runners who mirror Notre Dame’s tandem of Love and Price. Together, they’ve recorded 24 touchdowns, 7 of which have come from Allar through the air, proving how vital they are in both the run and pass game.   Allar is the best QB the Irish defense has faced all year, even better than Indiana’s Curtis Rourke. His only flaw is a lack of mobility, but he’s still managed 6 rushing touchdowns on the year. With that said, he’s no Riley Leonard in the backfield. Allar had only been sacked 11 times through the first 13 games but has been taken down a whopping 7 times between SMU and Boise State. If the Irish can pressure Allar, they’re likely to take him down, but it’s imperative they find a way to contain PSU’s running backs. Notre Dame’s beaten-up defensive line managed 4 sacks of their own against an elite Georgia front-5 and will need to do the same to beat this Penn State offense. Penn State’s Offense - Players to Watch While Allar is an excellent passer, Penn State’s wide receivers are average at best. The Nittany Lions are last in the Power-4 for WR targets with 35%, even lower than Georgia’s more talented but heavily criticized wide receivers group.  What Penn State’s receiving core does have is an elite secret weapon - Tyler Warren. Warren has been Allar’s primary target all year, and that likely won’t stop against Notre Dame. If the receivers and backs aren’t getting separation, Tyler Warren will hit you big. For most teams, containing - or failing to contain Warren has been the key. He’s recorded a team-leading 8 touchdowns and 1,158 yards through the air, with a  surprising 196 yards rushing and 4 touchdowns. When they need to, PSU will bring Warren in as a RB/FB to punch the ball in or over the line, and to surprising effect. One of Notre Dame’s primary concerns will be finding a way to stop or limit Warren. Doing so will effectively shut down the majority of the passing game’s effectiveness and force the Nittany Lions to either run or get creative. Shutting Warren down isn’t mandatory for the Irish defense to win this battle, but it's the quickest way to dictate Penn State’s offense.  Additionally, the Irish are a ridiculous +18 in the turnover margin, and continuing to force turnovers will be very telling. The only game Notre Dame has not won the turnover battle in was their only loss, NIU. This matchup could go either way, but the winner of this head-to-head will likely win the game. Notre Dame’s defense has been the numbers and sustained, consistent performance to get the edge here. Advantage: Soft Notre Dame Notre Dame’s Offense vs Penn State’s Defense Notre Dame’s offense may not have looked statistically impressive, but they’ve shown time and time again that they can play whatever kind of game is needed to get a win.  We’ve seen Leonard toss more than 200 yards and 3 touchdowns twice this year, but can he do that against an objectively better defense like Penn State? We know he can win a game with 90 through the air and 80 on the ground, but we haven’t seen him go over 250 yards once this year. That's not to say Leonard can’t do it, we just haven’t seen him be forced to throw with the game on the line since NIU. Truth is, that Riley Leonard sure looked a lot different than Sugar Bowl MVP Riley Leonard. Penn State’s Defense - Players to Watch One of the biggest tells for this game will be what the Irish get out of their running attack. We know they can do it with just their QB alone, but can they get away with that again? Love and Price combined for a season-low of just 56 yards and 0 touchdowns against Georgia. While the Irish were able to absorb that abnormal performance, that may not be possible against the likes of Abdul Carter and Dani Dennis-Sutton, who have a combined 17.5 sacks thus far. Carter, the reigning BIG 10 DPOY, is currently labeled a game-time decision after sustaining an arm injury against Boise State. Despite losing their best player, Penn State’s defense still managed 3 sacks and 4 turnovers, all while holding Jeanty to a season-low 104 yards and 0 touchdowns on a whopping 30 carries. They’ve also racked up an impressive 29 sacks, two better than Notre Dame’s 37.  Penn State’s defense has struggled at one thing all year - tackling. They’re 4th worst in the Power-4 with 17% missed tackles this year and have struggled with yards after contact. That's good news for the Irish, who lead the Power-4 in yards after contact with 4.2.  If the Irish can find a way to beat Penn State’s defensive line, be that through Leonard’s mobility or behind the legs of Love and Price, that will let them dictate the game, which includes opening things up through the air. If you’re betting on Penn State’s defense over Notre Dame’s offense, you’re betting that Love and Price are once again a non-factor. That just doesn’t seem likely.  This matchup has the most questions and unknowns of the game. If Notre Dame gets to play the game they want to play yet again, they should win. But if Penn State can force the Irish to pass instead of run, this is a toss-up. Advantage: Even Notre Dame’s Special Teams vs Penn State’s Special Teams This special teams matchup is a unique situation. Neither team is a liability nor a clear favorite. Notre Dame has been battling a tough regular season kicking performance, ranking dead last in the FBS for weeks. Thankfully, the postseason has been a different story, as kicker Mitch Jeter has been 5/5 on XPs and 5/6 on field goals - up from his 6/12 field goal mark throughout the regular season. Jeter finally looks healthy, and the UGA game was his first perfect performance since week 1 against TAMU. Thus, Notre Dame’s spot at 125th in FG percentage isn’t quite as alarming as it once was, and they’re trending up.  Penn State’s Ryan Barker won the kicking job outright after a shaky start from Sander Sahaydak and has been solid this year. His 14/17 field goal mark is middle of the road, but only 1/3 of Barker’s misses came in a close game - even then, it wouldn’t have changed the outcome. He’s reliable and will, without a doubt, be competitive with Jeter, but we haven’t seen Barker in a clutch situation since week 7 against USC. If Barker has a leg up, it's consistency, while Jeter’s edge is his recent performance. This is a wash. Special Teams - Players to Watch When looking at the punt game, the Irish hold the edge in net punt yards, but outside of that, nothing else stands out. Neither team has scored off a punt return while mirroring each other’s return average of just over 6.0 yards. The same goes for kick returns. The Irish rank significantly higher in average kickoff return than PSU, but the difference is less than 3 yards.  Neither team has a clear advantage here and neither is elite enough in any one area to earn an edge. Notre Dame is riding a hot streak in nearly all aspects of special teams, but their inconsistency up to this point keeps things even. The main question for Notre Dame is, can Mitch Jeter remain consistent when called upon? And can the Irish continue finding a way to get the edge in both the kickoff and punt games? For Penn State’s special teams, their success has more to do with Notre Dame. Can the Nittany Lions make the special teams game a zero-sum game? Can they at least prevent the Irish from another signature momentum-swinging play? Advantage: Even Prediction: For the 3rd game in a row, the Irish are playing arguably the best team they’ve faced all year.  The same is true for Penn State, who lost their two biggest matchups before the playoffs and are looking for their biggest win over a blue chip program in years. While Penn State’s defense isn’t quite as elite as Georgia’s, their offense is a significantly tougher challenge. The Sugar Bowl score may not have been close, but the game was, and it was decided by a few key plays. Penn State could be an even tougher matchup for Notre Dame, and this game will likely be higher scoring and closer at the end.  Notre Dame’s game plan comes down to this: Establish an even-handed rushing attack between Leonard, Love, and Price Get Leonard going in the passing game Win the turnover battle Shut down Tyler Warren The Irish don't need to do anything different or change their approach. If they can achieve the goals above, they should win this game. Freeman has transformed this program into a three-phase team that will find a way—any way—to beat you. It may not be pretty, and it may not be a high-scoring shootout, but the Irish have proven they can adapt their offense to edge out elite defenses and rely on their defense to keep opposing offenses quiet. Notre Dame isn’t any “one thing,” but they’re disciplined, well-coached, determined, and mean. This is old-school Notre Dame defense meets classic ground-and-pound running game. If the Indiana game proved the Irish could win on a big stage, the Sugar Bowl win over Georgia was the “next step” everyone had been waiting for. Beating Penn State would confirm that Notre Dame is “back.” You either believe in what Notre Dame is doing, or you’re waiting for them to change their identity.  That doesn’t look very likely. Look for the Irish to play their brand of football and outlast Penn State’s best squad in decades. Notre Dame moves on to the 2025 National Championship. Look for: Notre Dame Defense - Allows less than 100 rushing yards for the 3rd game in a row Riley Leonard - 150+ Passing Yards Jadarian Price - 1 Rushing Touchdown Jordan Faison - 1 Receiving Touchdown Win: ND:27 - 23:PSU Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame and Penn State are set to face off in the Orange Bowl for the chance to play for a National Championship. Here is a look at the history between these two famed programs before they add to an already memorable past. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Notre Dame and Penn State are synonymous with tradition in the context of college football. Ironically enough, both programs played their first game in 1887, illustrating the immense amount of tradition both teams have. However, the first time the two teams shared the field was in 1913, when Notre Dame's 14-7 victory marked the first win of the series. Overall, the series is tied, sitting at 9-9-1. The one tie came in 1925 with a final score of 0-0. The two teams would play two more times in the 1920s, both Notre Dame victories, before seeing a 48-year matchup gap. In 1976, they would finally meet again, this time in the Gator Bowl. Notre Dame would win again, 20-9, giving Notre Dame the longest winning streak in the rivalry with three. From there, there would be one more gap in the series before 1981, which would be the start of an 11-year streak of the teams facing off. In that run, Penn State got the better of the Irish, winning eight. This period was at the peak of Penn State's powers while Notre Dame was transitioning from the Jerry Faust era to the Lou Holtz era. This was also at a time when Penn State was also independent, which allowed the game to be an annual installment. In 1990, Penn State joined the Big Ten, marking the beginning of the end of this historic matchup. It wasn't until 2006 that the two teams would play again, and the series would see its last game a year later. In those last two games, both programs saw blowout wins. Notre Dame and Penn State have both had great success in their long history. As it currently stands, Notre Dame sits at fourth all-time in wins with 961, while Penn State sits at ninth with 943 wins. Although Notre Dame may have better overall success, Penn State holds better stats in bowl game appearances and bowl game wins. As a whole, these two programs rank highly in almost every statistical category when it comes to program history. With that being said, they are both trying to reach that mountain once again. They may make a huge part of the sport's past, but are now trying to become a massive part of its future. Before they face off in what will be a historic game at the Orange Bowl, here is a breakdown of some of their most memorable games over the years. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Holtz's Gutsy Call Wins it for Notre Dame, 17-16 (1992) In the infamous "Snow Bowl", No. 8 Notre Dame took on No. 22 Penn State at snowy Notre Dame Stadium. The game started off as a slow and grueling one, as both teams exchanged three field goals. Penn State would take the lead late, making it 16-9 Penn State. With just 4:17 left in the game, Notre Dame drove down the field, helped by a pair of big plays from Jerome Bettis and Ray Griggs. Notre Dame was inside the 10-yard line when they were met with a fourth and goal. Bettis would find the end zone on the next play due to a pass from QB Rick Mirer. Instead of opting to tie the game, Holtz decided to go for two and the win. The Irish converted on the gutsy play call on a Reggie Brooks reception, giving Notre Dame the lead with just 15 seconds left. Penn State Roars Back in the Second Half to Squander Notre Dame's National Championship Chances, 24-21 (1990) Before this game, Notre Dame was the hottest team in the country, beating No. 4 Michigan, No. 2 Miami, and No. 9 Tennessee. All that stood between Notre Dame and a second straight National Championship was Penn State and USC. Notre Dame jumped out to a dominant 21-7 lead after the first half. The game would completely flip in the second half as Penn State mounted a ferocious comeback. The game would become tied in the fourth quarter due to a touchdown from a name very familiar to Notre Dame fans, Al Golden. Golden's touchdown knotted the game up at 21 a piece, and a last-second field goal would give Penn State the lead and win. The loss ended Notre Dame's chance at a second straight National Championship under Lou Holtz. A Dominant Notre Dame First Half Bests Penn State, 20-9 (1976) This game marks the only time these two teams have met in the postseason before their next matchup on Thursday in the Orange Bowl. The game's scoring opened up with a Penn State field goal to make it 3-0. After that, Notre Dame ran away with the game due to a 20-0 run. The Irish's two touchdowns came on the ground thanks to Notre Dame running back Al Hunter. Hunter's impressive performance also included 102 rushing yards. Notre Dame did all their scoring in the first half, but their stout defense only held Penn State to two field goals in the second half, giving Notre Dame a 20-9 victory. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The No. 3 Notre Dame women’s basketball team looks to extend its 11-game winning streak in ACC play on Thursday as they take on the 7-7 Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics   It has been a dominant year for the Fighting Irish in the women’s college basketball scene. Sitting at 12-2 on the season, the Irish haven’t lost a game since Nov. 30 and aren’t looking to slow down anytime soon. With depth, health and a lot of highlight-worthy plays, Notre Dame has set itself up to be competing for a conference and national championship in the coming months.   Before looking ahead to March, the Irish must get through January which got off to a great start on Jan. 5 against No. 17 North Carolina. Once the calendar flips from one year to the next, the time in between games quickly shrinks. Week-long breaks turn into just days, leaving the door open for a slip-up at any time.   The Wake Forest Demon Deacons make the trip to South Bend for a date with the No. 3 ranked team in the country. They enter Purcell Pavilion dropping their last two games, as well as four of their last five games, losing by an average of 13 points.     It’s the worst offense in the entire conference as Wake Forest is the lone team to not accumulate 1,000 points, averaging just 61.9 points per game. Rylie Theuerkauf, a 5’9” sophomore guard from New Jersey, is the leading scorer for the Demon Deacons averaging 10.2 PPG on 42.6% shooting.   Theuerkauf’s averages drop significantly when playing on the road, scoring 7.5 PPG on 30.6% shooting in just four games. However, she’s coming off her best game of the season in the Demon Deacons’ overtime loss to the Louisville Cardinals. She scored 17 points on 6-9 shooting, including a season-best 5-8 from behind the arc. Considering she had only made 13 threes on the entire season entering last Sunday’s matchup, Theuerkauf may have found some confidence from range. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Down low, the Irish will have to deal with 6’3” junior Malaya Cowles, who enters scoring 9.9 PPG on 59.4% shooting, while grabbing 6.3 rebounds per game. Although, in her last three games, Cowles is averaging 8.7 RPG, including an 11-rebound game against UNC-Greensboro on Dec. 20.   Theuerkauf and Cowles combined for 10 turnovers when they took on the Cardinals, who have the second most takeaways in the ACC with 319. With a defense like Notre Dame’s, taking care of the basketball will be the biggest point of emphasis for Wake Forest. However, Notre Dame isn’t the only team good on the defensive side of the ball in this matchup.   Despite having one of the worst offenses in the conference, Wake Forest has allowed the least number of points in the ACC, and the third lowest points per game with opponents scoring an average of 57. However, the Irish scored 76 against the Tar Heels this past Sunday, a team that gives up just 54.1 PPG, the lowest in the conference. It w as once again the duo of Hannah Hidalgo and Olivia Miles against the Tar Heels, with the dynamic backcourt combining for 43 points on 15-33 shooting. Hidalgo, a sophomore guard, finished with 24 points, five assists, three assists and three steals in the ten-point victory.   Hidalgo, the nation’s second leading scorer, was named as Sports Illustrated’s top candidate to be named the Women’s National Player of the Year. She’s averaging 25.9 PPG on 49.4% shooting, with 6.1 RPG and 3.8 APG. She has started in all 14 games for the Irish this season and has scored under 24 points just twice this season. She truly is a do-it-all guard, collecting two or more steals in every game this season and is averaging four per game.   Even though Miles has played with the best player in college basketball this season, she is still putting together the best season of her career in her first 14 games back from an ACL injury she suffered in February of 2023. The senior guard is averaging 16.9 PPG, knocking down 55.8% of her shots while gathering 6.8 RPG and 7.1 APG. Her five threes against North Carolina were the most shots she has hit from range in her career, as she’s now shooting 47.8% from deep, the best she’s shot since arriving to South Bend.   Seniors Sonia Citron and Liatu King are averaging 13.9 and 12.5 PPG respectively, which is still higher than the Demon Deacons’ leading scorer. The Irish clearly outmatches Wake Forest on paper, meaning a big-time win is in play for Notre Dame. However, upsets happen all the time in sports, which is why the Irish need to get things moving quick and remove the opposition early. A few forced turnovers in the first quarter coupled with a double-digit lead would be prime for the Fighting Irish.   It will be the second of three games played this week for the Irish before they travel to Clemson, S.C. for a Sunday meeting with the Tigers. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame was just seconds away from picking up one of the biggest wins of the Micah Shrewsberry era this past Saturday against North Carolina. Despite falling short in the final moments of the game, the Irish must now turn their attention to the North Carolina State Wolfpack as the two are set for battle in Raleigh, North Carolina. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics As the dust on the new year begins to settle, memories must transform into short-term. With conference play starts to unravel, time off in between games becomes shorter, which makes it almost easier to suffer a one-point loss on a last-second shot on your home court.   The Irish will be traveling out east for a matchup with the Wolfpack for their second road ACC game of the season. NC State, a team that is coming off an appearance in the Final Four a season ago, come into this one dropping their last two matchups.   They are led by senior guard Marcus Hill, a transfer from Bowling Green in his first year with the Wolfpack. With DJ Burns graduating, NC State needed someone to lead its charge in the scoring department and Hill has been just that. Despite going 3-4 since the start of December, Hill has scored in double figures in all seven games. In that time, Hill has also emerged as a threat rebounding the basketball, averaging 4.6 per game. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here On the year, Hill is averaging 12.6 PPG on 50.7% shooting and hasn’t knocked down a three since Dec. 7 against Florida State. It was only his fourth made three of the seasons, as he has shot 4-17 from deep thus far. With Markus Burton making his return to the Notre Dame lineup, defending Hill becomes much more doable.   The Wolfpack’s second option, Jayden Taylor, is much more willing to shoot from beyond-the-arc. The Indianapolis native, who spent his first two seasons at Butler before transferring to NC State in 2023, shoots 3.9 threes per game and knocks down 34.5% of them. In his last four games, Taylor has knocked down nine of his 16 attempts, an impressive 56%. While NC State ranks 14th in the ACC in 3-Point FG Percentage, Notre Dame must continue its stellar defense on the perimeter that ranks fourth in the conference.   The Irish showed a fight against North Carolina that they haven’t shown since Burton went down with an injury back on Nov. 26 against Rutgers. Getting him back in the lineup, even if it was off of the bench, was huge for a Notre Dame team that has quickly fallen back to .500 and 1-2 in conference play.   “He’s just a warrior man.” Coach Shrewsberry said following the loss to the Tar Heels. “Some people would be scared to come back against North Carolina…he ain’t ducking anybody.”   Burton played 23 minutes for the Irish and scored 23 points on 7-14 shooting. However, his defense is going to be the biggest impact on this game against NC State, a team that leads the conference in turnover margin at 3.71. On the other side of that, Burton must take care of the basketball after turning it over four times against the Tar Heels. In his six games played, he’s turned the ball over 11 times, a number that Notre Dame wants to see decline.   His return to the lineup also opens up the floor for sophomore Braeden Shrewsberry and junior Tae Davis, both of which have seen strong developments since Burton’s injury. The two combined for 33 points against the Tar Heels, shooting 12-29 from the field. While Notre Dame is elite at preventing opponents from making threes, so is the Wolfpack, who are tied with the Irish in the ACC allowing opposing teams to knock down just .301% of their shots from range. Luckily, Shrewsberry has shown his ability to get inside and knock down shots inside the three-point line, which will be crucial.   Regardless, it seems as though Notre Dame has found its big three.   This will be the seventh time this season the Irish are playing away from Purcell Pavilion and they haven’t won one since the third game of the season against Georgetown on Nov. 16.   “We’ve got to go and find a way to capitalize on the road,” Shrewsberry said. “We’ve got to start better and play better for 40 minutes on the road to go get one on the road.”   It’s a great opportunity for the Irish to go and win a game that they aren’t supposed to on the road. It would move them back over .500 and put them at 2-2 in ACC play. Any momentum this team can generate from now until the end of the season is going to be huge, and it can start in the second week of January.   “We’ve got a bunch of fighters,” Shrewsberry said after the North Carolina loss. “When we compete and play, we can play with anybody. There’s nobody I’d rather rock with than this group.” Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

After eliminating Georgia in round two of the College Football Playoffs, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be heading from South Bend to South Florida to take on the Nittany Lions of Penn State at Miami's Hardrock Stadium. Let's take a deep dive into the film room. Photo by The Irish Tribune The Sugar Bowl vs UGA was Notre Dame's biggest victory in over three decades, and yet it once again feels that there is some goal post shifting in terms of Notre Dame's outlook going forward. Yes, Georgia was without their starting quarterback, yes ND only scored one offensive touchdown, and YES it was still as impressive of a win as any thus far during the playoff. The ten points UGA scored tied their season low total, and although Notre Dame did not light up the score board, they proved when push comes to shove, they are as tough and athletic as any team in the country. Can they continue to lean on their formula of running the ball and playing outstanding defense, or will lack of offensive firepower catch up to them? PSU Head Coach James Franklin has at times wore the label of not being able to win the "big game", but after back to back convincing victories in the playoff, he is one step away from a National Championship appearance and putting the college football world on notice. Penn State displays a lot of similarities to Notre Dame. They have an ultra talented running back duo, a stingy defense that finished top 10 in points allowed, and a QB that did not put up eye-popping numbers, but is efficient and can beat you in a variety of ways. They are playing with the confidence of a team that knows they belong in the final four, and with an extra two days to prepare, can they take their play up one more notch to hang with an opponent that is more talented than those they have faced in the playoff thus far? When these two teams take the field on January 9th, it will be the first time facing off since 2007. James Franklin was still a coordinator at Kansas, and Marcus Freeman was racking up All-Big Ten honors as a linebacker at Ohio State. This is the biggest game of both of their careers to this point, and I expect them to have their teams fired up and ready to go. After watching Penn State film throughout the course of the season, these are the things you should keep your eye on during the 2025 Capital One Orange Bowl. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here When Notre Dame is on Offense: Not unlike Notre Dame, Penn State likes to run a lot of Cover-1. Using a single high safety look allows them to keep an extra defender in the box and create a numbers mismatch for run-heavy teams. For whatever reason, even though it was clear Penn State was loading up to stop Ashton Jeanty in the Fiesta Bowl in Round 1 , Boise State had their WR's in very tight splits which played into PSU's hands and allowed them to get more bodies around the LOS. Notre Dame is not a typical spread offense, but in order to be successful, Riley Leonard will have to connect on some shots outside the numbers and take advantage when Penn State is going 1 on 1 across the board. Could be a Beaux Collins game. When I was breaking down the Penn State defense, their defensive backs reminded me a lot of Indiana's in terms of how aggressively they will come down and play the run. Just like I mentioned for that game, perimeter blocking from the ND receivers will once again be key. Jeremiyah Love's game-altering 98 yard touchdown run vs IU was sprung in part thanks to Beaux Collins staying on his assignment and pushing the corner inside allowing Love to work the sideline and use his speed. They will need that same effort for 60 minutes vs PSU. Abdul Carter is the best edge defender I have seen on tape all year. True freshman left tackle Anthonie Knapp held up reasonably well against Georgia, but on a few snaps got beat by Jalon Walker and the left side of the O-line collapsed, forcing Leonard to get rid of the ball quicker than he wanted to. This will be Knapp's biggest test to date, but Carter is not the only threat on the defensive line for Penn State. Both their defensive tackles are very quick off the snap and have excellent upfield burst. Punch timing from the interior of Notre Dame's offensive line will be critical to creating run lanes and maintaining a pocket for Leonard to work from. I was honestly surprised at how much Mike Denbrock tried to work Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price inside vs Georgia considering that was the strength of their run defense. In contrast, I think inside is exactly where you want to attack against PSU with gap concepts. They have an athletic front four who do a good job moving laterally, so trying to get outside on the edge might be a difficult task. Their defensive tackles are twitchy, but not the type of space eaters that Georgia had, so if ND can get a good push I think there are plays to be made inside. Finishing up on the run game, PSU's linebackers are a talented group and flow quickly to the ball. At times though, their speed works against them, and they run themselves out of their run fits. Would be a good game to use some misdirection and mix in some zone schemes because there will be cutback lanes through middle of the defense. No. 0, Dominic DeLuca, is someone ND should target when the O-line is working up to second level blocks, as he has had some issues disengaging and making tackles from his linebacking spot. In both the Ohio State and Oregon games, when PSU needed to get off the field to have one more chance to tie/win the game, those teams were able to lean on the run game and close it out. If ND finds themselves in a similar spot, I believe the offensive line can wear them down and be the difference in moving on to the next round. Penn State runs a lot of Man Coverage, but they will still mix in Zone and they are very successful doing it. Both their corners and safeties do a very good job of keying the quarterback's eyes and will jump underneath routes with no hesitation. They play with the confidence that their front four will get home, and quarterbacks will not be able to hang on to the ball too long which is why they can be aggressive. Riley Leonard can not stare down receivers in this match up, because the DB's for PSU are too fast and too good at creating game changing plays. One area of weakness that consistently showed up on film, especially in the Big Ten Championship vs Oregon, is that when Penn State is in man coverage across the board, they tend to lose discipline on running backs out of the backfield and tight ends leaking out late. Notre Dame does not utilize their RB group a whole lot in the passing game, but Denbrock may want to consider using Aneyas Williams, who is generally the running back in on third downs, as an option for Riley Leonard out of the backfield in certain situations. Players To Watch No. 11 Abdul Carter - Carter was banged up against Boise State, and there is some speculation as to whether or not he will be ready to go in the Orange Bowl. If I am Notre Dame, I am operating under the belief he will 100% be lining up when the first whistle blows. It can not be overstated how much of a difference maker he is. A sure-fire first round pick in this years upcoming NFL draft, Carter is the total package as a pass rusher. He has elite athleticism for the position, and plays with incredible bend, allowing him to get underneath the pad level of offensive linemen and work a straight angle to the quarterback. PSU will play him on both sides of the line, and will also occasionally play him as an off the ball linebacker. Riley Leonard and the O-line for Notre Dame need to account for him at all times. The only way to counteract his level of speed is by making him think for a half a second longer than usual so he can't just react. Elements of the read option have been a staple of Notre Dame's play-calling this year, and in this game it would make more sense to run it right at Carter, forcing him to read the handoff and slow down his attack. No. 1 Jaylen Reed - The Senior safety led the Nittany Lions in tackles in 2024, and is another player they like to move all over the field. A lot like Notre Dame uses Xavier Watts, Reed is a playmaker when being utilized as a robber, and handles run fits like a linebacker. Good tackler who plays fast, and will hang around the LOS looking to knife in and make tackles for loss. He will blitz off the edge, and I have seen him beat offensive tackles one on one. The Irish need to identify him pre-snap and not allow him to blow things up. When Notre Dame is on Defense: Motion, motion, and more motion. PSU Offensive Coordinator Andy Kotelnicki will rarely give you the same look more than a few times throughout the course of the game. Their tight end lines up as a fullback, running back and quarterback. They are constantly shifting their RBS, and at times will even line up their left guard in the slot before motioning him in before the snap. In other words, they give you a lot to think about before the center ever even snaps the ball. This is a major eye discipline/mental processing test for the Fighting Irish. They run wildcat with multiple players and the linebackers for ND can not get lost in all the shuffling because Penn State has one of the biggest weapons in all of college football they will look to work the ball to in a variety of ways in tight end, Tyler Warren. As the year has gone on, PSU Quarterback Drew Allar has gotten more comfortable using his legs in both scramble drills and on designed runs. Although not as much as Notre Dame, they will work in a fair amount of read plays for Allar and even run a hybrid version of the triple option where he can hand it off, keep it himself or throw it late to a trailing "pitch man". He is a big bodied QB, and surprisingly hard to get down. When Notre Dame does get to him, they will need to wrap up. Notre Dame did a good job containing Gunner Stockton last week, and will need the same type of performance this time around. If anyone can contend with Notre Dame for having the best running back tandem in the country, it is Penn State. Both Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen had 800+ rushing yards during the regular season, and have carried that success into the playoffs. When PSU's running game is at it's best, it is when they are running stretch zone concepts and allowing their backs to use their excellent vision in finding cutback lanes and picking up chunk yardage. Notre Dame will need to be able to set the edge and force things back inside to the linebackers, who need to play with disciplined gap control and not over pursue and get too wide. Penn State does a lot of pulling, both in the run game and even in pass protection. Both guards can be exploited though, especially No. 71 Ioane Olaivavega, who plays with too high of a pad level and has a tendency to cross his feet and get off balance. The defensive line for Notre Dame needs to consistently play with violent hands and good leverage, as there will be plays to be made on the interior. The guards and center also do not do a great job passing off stunts, often being a step too late and allowing pressure. In my honest opinion, Georgia has a much better offensive line than Penn State, and Notre Dame was able to give them issues all day. I think this area is a true mismatch in Notre Dame's favor. It is not profound to say that if you pressure a quarterback he will struggle. But when it comes to Drew Allar, he will at times perceive pressure that isn't there and leave the pocket too early, cutting off some of his reads. Al Golden has no issue bringing the house and trusting his defensive backs to cover on islands, but with Allar, running simulated pressures and dropping into zones may be even more effective. Allar sometimes struggles vs zone, not trusting his eyes and missing his window to hit receivers. His footwork also breaks down the minute he feels heat, drifting backwards and not stepping into his throws, leading to inaccurate balls which Notre Dame has feasted off of this year. If Notre Dame can present the type of issues for Penn State's offensive line that I think they can, Allar could have a rough night. PSU's receivers have struggled to consistently get separation all year. Christian Gray and Leonard Moore have become quite the combination at corner for the Blue and Gold, and if they can be disciplined and stay in phase, I think this is a match up that they win more times than not. Players To Watch No. 44 Tyler Warren - The 2024 Mackey Award winner is as important to the PSU offense as Abdul Carter is to the defense. It is not hyperbole to say that they line Warren up at four or more positions in any given game. He has more than double the receptions of the next leading receiver, and has also rushed for four touchdowns and thrown for one as well. He excels at winning the point of attack on contested catches, using his size and length to box defenders out and high point the ball. Xavier Watts and Adon Shuler will most likely be the ones to have their numbers called when it comes to matching up with the nations best tight end. PSU loves to let him work the middle of the field off play-action passes, and he makes a living off quick out routes that he turns into bigger plays due to the fact he is extremely hard to bring down once he gets going downhill. Drew Allar shows major trust in him, and will not hesitate to target him even when he is well covered. The defensive backs for Notre Dame must locate the ball in the air and not just assume tight coverage is enough. No. 10 - Nicholas Singleton - Both running backs for PSU are capable of hurting a defense, but Singleton specifically is the prototypical do-it-all back. Notre Dame will need to be locked in when on special teams, as they allow him to return kickoffs as well. He has vision, contact balance, and breakaway speed. In the passing game, he is not only a threat leaking into the flats or on screen passes, but they will also let him go vertical up the seam, so whoever is responsible for No. 10 can not get caught flat footed or just assume he is going to break off a shorter route, because he will make them pay. He is fairly good in pass protection when his assignment is obvious, but does at times get confused when there are extra rushers or a T/E stunt. Additional Thoughts and Notes SMU and Boise State did what they needed to do to make the playoffs, and this is not to take anything away from them. But it stands to reason, Penn State has had the most favorable path of any CFP team, having those two teams as their first and second round opponents. Notre Dame is coming off a dominating win over a team that was the national champion two of the last three seasons. It would be hard to argue that Notre Dame is not currently the more battle tested team, and I think in this type of bracket-style tournament, that goes a long way. The confidence that comes from knocking off a college football juggernaut like Georgia can not be overstated. They have proven they can beat the best in the country, now they just need to go out there and do it again. Special teams have become an exciting part of Notre Dame football with all the wrinkles STC Marty Biagi seems to add on almost a weekly basis. In the Sugar Bowl, outside of a few unfortunate running into the kicker penalties on the opening drive, they once again shined. The kickoff return for touchdown by Jayden Harrison to open the second half gave the Fighting Irish too big of a cushion for Georgia to overcome, and the trick play ran on fourth down late in the game to draw Georgia offsides and allow Notre Dame to continue to kill clock was the icing on the cake. Add that to the fact that each week kicker Mitch Jeter gains confidence and rounds closer and closer into his old form, and this unit is truly becoming a threat to change any game at any time. One of the lone areas Penn State was below average this season was their own special teams. In a game that stars two teams with very similar profiles offensively and defensively, it would not shock me if the Notre Dame special teams unit plays the biggest part in advancing to a National Championship. Notre Dame has turned the proverbial corner from being a good team, to being a great team. There are still questions that linger, all of which can be answered within the next couple of weeks. The 2025 Orange Bowl on paper has the makings of a classic game, with two teams that have been looking to break back through to the upper echelon of college football and recapture the glory days. I expect a highly competitive game for sixty minutes, and the winner will have had to have earned it. No one said it was going to be easy, which is why Notre Dame likes to choose hard . Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

The Fighting Irish continue their College Football Playoff run this week versus the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl. We preview the Nittany Lions’ offense, which features two 1,000-yard rushers, below: Photo by The Irish Tribune Penn St enters this game 13-2 on the year, with losses to Ohio State and then Oregon in the Big Ten Championship. Here is how the Nittany Lions have fared this season: at West Virginia (34-12, Win) vs Bowling Green (34-27, Win) vs Kent State (56-0, Win) vs Illinois (21-7, Win) vs UCLA (27-11, Win) at USC (33-30, OT Win) at Wisconsin (28-13, Win) vs Ohio State (13-20, Loss) vs Washington (35-6, Win) at Purdue (49-10, Win) at Minnesota (26-25, Win) vs Maryland (44-7, Win) vs Oregon (Big Ten Championship, 37-45, Loss) vs SMU (CFP First Round, 38-10, Win) vs Boise State (Fiesta Bowl, 31-14, Win) The Nittany Lions’ offense has been impressive this season, ranking 25th among all FBS teams in points (33.7) and total yards per game (436.3). Additionally, both of these numbers are top-four among Big Ten competition. Offensive-minded Head Coach James Franklin has Penn State rolling at the right time with a strong rush attack mixed with an effective pass game.  One specific area that this offense has had success in is third-down conversions. The Nittany Lions enter the Orange Bowl converting 47% of their third-down attempts, the third-best percentage in the Big Ten and top-15 in the country. On the other side, Notre Dame possesses a top-five third-down defense, allowing opponents to convert just 29.8% of their attempts. Much like the Sugar Bowl, if the Irish defense can play well in these late-down scenarios, they should come out on top. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Penn St utilizes an effective passing game led by QB Drew Allar, which averages 234.1 yards per game, the eighth-most in the Big Ten and 58th among all FBS teams. However, the Nittany Lions’ 30 total passing touchdowns are tied for the third-most in the conference. Let’s preview Allar and some weapons that should impact Thursday’s outcome.  As mentioned above, Penn State’s starting quarterback is junior Drew Allar. Last season, his first as a full-time starter, he completed 59.9% of his throws for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns (led the Big Ten) with just two interceptions in 13 games played. This year, Allar has improved his accuracy, completing 67.4% of his attempts for 3,192 yards and 24 touchdowns with seven interceptions. The junior’s 67.4% completion rate is the fifth-most in the Big Ten and 12th among all FBS passers. In addition, his 157.2 passing efficiency is the fourth-best in the conference and tenth among all FBS passers. Allar’s 12.77 yards per completion also ranks fourth in the conference and 36th in the country. The junior has four games this season with three passing touchdowns and no interceptions, including last week versus Boise St. Overall, Allar is a good passer who has found consistent success on deep throws while rarely making mistakes. A key for the Notre Dame defense will be getting pressure on the quarterback all day as that is when he tends to underperform.  The most talented player on this offense, and Allar’s top target, is senior tight end Tyler Warren. This year’s John Mackey Award Winner, awarded to the top tight end in the country, will likely be one of the first two at his position to be selected in the ‘25 NFL Draft. Last season, Warren was named to the Third Team All-Big Ten after recording 34 receptions for 422 yards and seven touchdowns (tied for the most among Big Ten tight ends). This season, as Penn State’s leading receiver, he has totaled 98 catches for 1,158 yards and eight touchdowns. In addition to winning the Mackey Award, Warren was named to the First Team All-Big Ten and finished seventh in the Heisman Trophy voting. The senior’s 77.2 receiving yards and 6.5 receptions per game are both the fourth-most in the conference among all pass-catchers. He has at least three catches and 29 yards in each game including ten games with five or more receptions and nine games with 50-plus yards. Warren’s best game occurred at USC when he finished with a historic stat line of 17 receptions (most in PSU history) for 224 yards (most by a TE in PSU history) including a touchdown. In all, the senior is an elite receiving tight end with just three drops, two of which have occurred within the past two weeks, and one fumble. Warren, who sometimes lines up as the slot man, averages 6.7 yards after the catch. He struggles as a blocker but his receiving prowess offsets this issue. Behind Warren, Penn St features two solid wide receivers including redshirt junior Harrison Wallace III. Before this season, he had 38 receptions for 501 yards and two touchdowns in 21 games played across the past two years. This year, Wallace has 46 catches for 723 yards and four touchdowns in 14 games played. He missed the Nittany Lions’ contest versus Maryland. The junior has at least two receptions and 29 yards in 13 games, although he was shutout versus Bowling Green on three targets. Wallace posted season-highs at West Virginia when he recorded five catches for 117 yards including two touchdowns. Wallace is probably the most talented wideout on the team, he can also line up in the slot, with four drops on 74 targets and no fumbles. Interestingly, four of the nine total Penn St interceptions were targeted for the junior wideout. The other featured wideout is junior Omari Evans. He is experiencing a breakout season with 21 receptions for 415 yards and five touchdowns. Despite undergoing a three-game span (at Wisconsin, vs OSU, vs UW) where he saw no targets, Evans has at least one reception in 11 games. His best performance of the year came versus Kent St when he recorded four catches for 116 yards including a touchdown. Like Warren and Wallace, the junior wideout also lines up as the slot man at times. Evans has been solid most of the year, with two drops on 36 targets and no fumbles. The junior is Allar’s favorite deep threat, so Notre Dame’s secondary will need to always have an eye on Evans. The last threats to highlight in the passing game are their two all-purpose running backs including junior Nicholas Singleton. Last season, he had 26 receptions for 308 yards and two touchdowns in 13 games played. This year, Singleton has 39 catches for 342 yards and five touchdowns in 14 games played. He missed the UCLA game. The junior has at least one reception in 13 games, however, he did not have any targets last week versus Boise St. He had a season-high of six catches for 54 yards versus Ohio St. Singleton has proven to be a solid option when Allar is under pressure as he has three drops on 46 targets, including two versus SMU. He struggles as a pass blocker, but I would expect the Nittany Lions to involve the junior in the pass game plan this week. Behind Singleton, is fellow junior back Kaytron Allen. Before this season, he had totaled 34 receptions for 269 yards and two touchdowns in 26 games played across the past two years. This season, Allen has 17 catches for 147 yards and two touchdowns. His usage as a receiving option has varied heavily week-to-week, he has six games with no targets including last week versus Boise St. However, he has at least one reception in eight games including a season-high four receptions for 44 yards including a touchdown at Purdue. Overall, Allen is not as talented as a pass-catcher compared to Singleton, but it would not surprise me if he found one or two targets this week. He has two drops on 24 targets, no fumbles, and is averaging an impressive 9.8 yards after catch. Like Singleton, Allen also struggles as a pass blocker. Penn State’s rush offense ranks among the best in the Big Ten featuring multiple threats. The Nittany Lions enter the Orange Bowl averaging 202.2 rush yards per game, the most in the conference and 18th among all FBS teams. They also lead the Big Ten with 5.29 yards per carry and are second in rush touchdowns with 32. Let’s preview their key rushers: The first of Penn State’s two 1,000-yard rushers is all-purpose back Kaytron Allen. Before this season, he had 339 carries for 1,769 yards and 16 touchdowns across the past two years. This season, Allen has 201 carries for 1,026 yards and eight touchdowns. He has ten games with over 50 yards, including four games with over 100. The talented rusher recorded a season-high 134 yards on 17 carries versus Boise St. Allen has been great this season, totaling 660 yards after contact and just one fumble. Perhaps the more talented rusher is Nicholas Singleton. The junior had 327 carries for 1,813 yards and 20 touchdowns in 26 games played before this season. This year, Singleton has 157 carries for 1,015 yards and nine touchdowns. Additionally, his 6.46 yards per carry leads the Big Ten and is the tenth-most among FBS rushers. He has recorded nine games with over 50 yards including a season-high of 119 on 13 carries including a touchdown versus Bowling Green. Singleton is another great rusher with just one fumble on the year, providing the Nittany Lions with two exceptional run-game options. Quarterback Drew Allar also is capable of tucking and running when needed. Last season, he had 74 carries for 206 yards and four touchdowns. This year, Allar has 90 carries for 285 yards and six touchdowns, including at least three carries in each game. He rushed for a season-high 54 yards on five carries including a touchdown versus Oregon in the Big Ten Championship. Allar is a good rusher but four fumbles are somewhat of an issue. Last week, he finished with negative four yards on 11 carries including a fumble, despite having a 15-yard run. On his positive rushes, the junior quarterback displays a toughness similar to that of the Irish’s dual-threat signal-caller, Riley Leonard. Another rushing threat that has emerged this season for the Nittany Lions is Mackey Award-winning tight end Tyler Warren. He has 24 carries for 197 yards and four touchdowns this year. The senior has at least one carry in 12 games but did not receive any last week. He rushed for a season-high 63 yards on three carries including a touchdown at Purdue. On his carries, Warren is a good runner who displays his toughness with averages of 8.2 yards per carry and 4.35 yards after contact. As mentioned before, he does struggle as a blocker and has two fumbles on the year. Something to keep an eye on is that ten of his 24 carries have gone outside to the left. Expect Penn St to try and catch Notre Dame off guard with a Warren rush or two. Up front, Penn St features a good offensive line with two all-conference guards. This group has allowed 1.27 sacks per game (19 total), which is the fourth-fewest in the Big Ten and 23rd nationally. Additionally, their 3.93 tackles for loss per game allowed is the third-fewest in the conference and 14th among all FBS teams. Let’s preview the two key guards on this line: The Nittany Lions’ starting left guard is redshirt sophomore Olaivavega Ionae. He was named to the Second Team All-Big Ten this season. The young guard is a good all-around blocker. He has allowed 16 QB pressures on 464 pass-block snaps with no sacks. Also, he has just two penalties this year.  At right guard is redshirt senior Sal Wormley. He entered this season with 26 starts across the last two years. Another all-around good blocker, Wormley was named to the Third Team All-Big Ten. He has allowed 13 pressures, including two sacks, on 392 pass block snaps. The senior allowed a sack versus Oregon and then against SMU. Wormley has six penalties this season, however, three occurred last week versus Boise State. Penn St will not be able to afford those mistakes against this Irish defense. With a date to the National Championship on the line, these two teams will be going to war on Thursday in the Orange Bowl. It should be a great game, featuring two battle-tested squads who both think they can win this game. Who comes out on top? We find out this week in Miami. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

For the first time since the 1993 season, Notre Dame has won a New Year's Six bowl game. The painful history can now be laid to rest, as the Irish set their sights on Penn State in the Orange Bowl. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics Like many who follow Notre Dame, I wasn't even alive to watch Notre Dame play in the 1994 Cotton Bowl, which saw legendary coach Lou Holtz and the Fighting Irish take down the Texas A&M Aggies in a 24-21 classic in Dallas. And again, like many others, I haven't seen Notre Dame win a postseason game that's worth anything on the national stage - ever. I watched the Irish, year after year, parade through the regular season only to be drubbed nationally by the likes of an SEC powerhouse, or a Clemson team with generational talent. Even after an opening playoff victory against an overmatched Indiana team, I remained skeptical at the thought of having to watch the Irish take on a Bulldog team that clearly had the talent advantage. We've all seen this story before. The first New Year's Six bowl game I can actually remember was the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State at the conclusion of the 2015 season. The DeShone Kizer led Notre Dame squad were coming off of a respectable 10-2 campaign, although it was soured after playoff hopes were dashed thanks to a walk-off field goal courtesy of Stanford in the final week. Their opponent, Ohio State, had just capped an 11 win season under polarizing college football legend Urban Meyer. The Buckeyes would jump out to a 28-7 lead, and manage the game throughout the second half to win by a final score of 44-28. Ohio State controlled the trenches throughout the game, and a narrative surrounding Notre Dame would come to fruition. The Irish just didn't have the horses to compete with college football's upper echelon teams. The Buckeyes were more disciplined, more talented, and above all else, more physical. Following the Fiesta Bowl loss, the Irish would spiral in 2016 with an abysmal 4-8 record - their worst since 2007 under Charlie Weis. Brian Kelly would overhaul the program, and have them back in the national spotlight in 2018 with their first undefeated season since 2012. Like that 2012 team, however, the Irish clearly just didn't have the talent to match up with the elite teams around the country. This would come to fruition in the Cotton Bowl, as Notre Dame would gear up to face the undefeated ACC champion Clemson Tigers. As many thought, the game wasn't even a contest. The Tigers would maul the Irish to the tune of 30-3, on the back of Trevor Lawrence, who would go on to win the national championship. In a vacuum, the outcome of the game once again boiled down to two factors. Firstly, the Irish were simply overmatched - much like the Fiesta Bowl. Second, Notre Dame was just stubborn. They wanted to win, and they wanted to do it how they had all season: by running the ball and leaning on the opposition. This approach simply doesn't work when you don't have the talent advantage. Not many risks were taken, and as a result, Notre Dame just couldn't compete with the elite skill talent. It was the same story, and the same result. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here The covid era of college football brought on a host of new challenges, but for Notre Dame, they found themselves in a place many purists never could have envisioned: a conference. The 2020 season saw the Irish join the ACC in an attempt to save their football season, and in hindsight, it was definitely the right move. The Irish, led once again by Ian Book, rolled through the first half of their covid schedule. This would lead them into another matchup with the perennial ACC powerhouse, and number 1 ranked Clemson Tigers, but this time, it would be in South Bend during the regular season. Fortunately for Notre Dame, the Tiger's quarterback and orchestrator of their demise in the Cotton Bowl, Trevor Lawrence, would be out for the game. Something was in the air that night in South Bend, as Notre Dame would battle Clemson tooth and nail, before coming out with the biggest win in Notre Dame Stadium in the modern era. The Irish looked sharp, strong, and most importantly, took their shots down the field to help them squeak out an overtime victory. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, playing in the ACC would mean the Irish would have to face Clemson a second time in the championship, which led to the result we had all been used to seeing. Notre Dame would be throttled in the rematch, mainly due to an unwillingness to change their gameplan. Clemson wasn't content on letting the Irish run the ball down their throat, and their superior skill talent and adjustments made all the difference. Fortunately, Notre Dame would still find themselves in a playoff spot following the loss, with another shot at winning a New Year's Six bowl game. This time, the matchup would be against SEC champion Alabama in the Rose Bowl. For good reason, nobody expected Notre Dame to win this one, and yet again, the Irish were simply overmatched at nearly every position. The Crimson Tide controlled much of the game, and after getting a lead, it was nearly impossible for Notre Dame's style of play to give them a competitive shot at making a comeback. The Irish would drop the game 31-14, with the game being less competitive than the final score would actually suggest. Brian Kelly didn't mix words after the Rose Bowl, overtly announcing that this was only the beginning. "We're going to keep getting here, okay? And we're going to keep banging at it." Despite yet another loss where the Irish just couldn't match up in both the talent department and the scheming department, it appeared Kelly would be undeterred. Less than a year later, however, things would change in a big way. Brian Kelly's final season at Notre Dame brought much of the success we had been used to seeing under his regime. 2021 saw the Fighting Irish finish with a record of 11-1 during the regular season, but it wouldn't be enough to propel them into the four team playoff. Despite his comments following the Rose Bowl, Brian Kelly would leave for the same job at LSU following the conclusion of Notre Dame's regular season, and prior to learning the team's playoff fate. Enter Marcus Freeman. As Kelly's successor, Freeman brought new life and energy to Notre Dame that hadn't been seen in a very long time. With the hire, Notre Dame's recruiting took a much needed leap, helping to close the talent gap between the Irish and college football's best. Freeman would coach his first game to close out the season in what would be yet another opportunity for the Fighting Irish to capture a New Year's Six win. This time, the Fiesta Bowl would feature a much more favorable opponent in the Oklahoma State Cowboys, another team who just missed out on the College Football Playoff. Despite jumping out to a 28-7 lead, Freeman's inexperience in his first game would show. The Irish would squander the lead entirely in the second half, losing a heartbreaker by a score of 35-37. This time, there wasn't really a talent disparity to point a finger at. Despite the collapse, the optimism surrounding the program was palpable. With recruiting on the upswing, and a fresh new face at the helm, the Irish were set to make some waves. Now in year three, and with little national success, the stars had aligned for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame to take the next step. After a sea of highs and lows throughout the first few years, the ship had stabilized for Notre Dame following arguably their biggest loss in program history coming early on in the 2024 season. Marcus Freeman's roster had arguably the most talent we've seen at Notre Dame in the better part of a decade. That helped soothe one of the glaring issues when it came to the Irish and competing in big games. They finished the season at 11-1, and with a now expanded 12-team playoff, they had yet another opportunity ahead of them. After dispatching what was quite honestly an overmatched Indiana team, the Irish were face to face with a narrative changing matchup: The SEC champion Georgia Bulldogs. While Georgia would be without starting QB Carson Beck, the Irish were severely depleted in their defensive depth. Still, as per usual, the talent and coaching matchup heavily favored the Dawgs - at least on the surface. But after what felt like a program changing regular season, it was clear things would be different this time around. To put it bluntly, Marcus Freeman outcoached two-time national champion Kirby Smart. From the opening kickoff, Notre Dame's ferocious defensive approach overwhelmed Georgia. Notre Dame was more physical and disciplined throughout. Though they didn't shy away from their identity, it's evident that Marcus Freeman's recruiting both in high school and through the portal positioned Notre Dame to be more than competitive in this game. The first victory for Notre Dame in a New Year's Six bowl was punctuated with a masterclass mass-substitution on fourth down late in the game, drawing Georgia offside to bleed the clock in the waning minutes of the contest. Notre Dame flat-out smacked the Dawgs, and fans of the program starved for a national victory would rejoice. This is what the Freeman Era had promised, and it delivered. Notre Dame doesn't have the talent to compete? Not anymore. Notre Dame doesn't have the coaching pedigree to win championships? Not anymore. Notre Dame coaching a conservative game? Doubts erased. A new leaf has turned in South Bend. And with Marcus Freeman leading the charge, there's no limit to the heights this program is able to reach. The pain of what has passed has only sweetened an incredible Sugar Bowl victory for this program. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Notre Dame's historic victory over the Georgia Bulldogs punched the Irish's ticket to a matchup against Penn State in the Orange Bowl. Here are the key takeaways that powered Notre Dame's victory over the SEC Champions. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics As Notre Dame's Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia proved the Fighting Irish can outmuscle an SEC champion, Marcus Freeman now has the Irish primed for a playoff semifinal matchup against Penn State in the Orange Bowl. While the Irish didn't necessarily impress on the stat sheet, Notre Dame got contributions from many unlikely sources to power them past the Bulldogs. Let's break down the key takeaways from Notre Dame's first New Year's Six bowl win in 31 years. Winning the Line of Scrimmage Everyone predicted the Notre Dame defensive line would put constant pressure on Gunner Stockton and hold Georgia to 66 rushing yards, right? The chatter all week regarding the Notre Dame defense was if the Rylie Mills injury would be the straw that broke the camel's back in terms of the injuries endured by this defense. However, as it's been the case the entire season, the "next-man in" mentality didn't fail the Fighting Irish's defensive line. EDGE Junior Tuihalamaka played the most complete game of his career as the Granada Hills, Calif., native seemed to be in the Bulldogs' backfield the entire game. Whether it was recording sacks or tackles for loss, Tuihalamaka was constantly winning one-on-one battles against Georgia LT Monroe Freeling. Tuihalamaka was also there to recover RJ Oben's strip sack right before halftime, which was the ultimate game-changing play. Oben, who was the other transfer portal player the Irish acquired from the Duke Blue Devils, made the biggest play of the season at the perfect time for the Fighting Irish. While Tuihalamaka, Oben, and freshman Bryce Young were wreaking havoc on Georgia's tackles, Howard Cross III, Donovan Hinish, and Gabriel Rubio were filling in perfectly for the injured Mills. It was a fitting way to end the game for the Fighting Irish to see Hinish, with the No. 99, in honor of Mills, written on his taped-up hand, sack Stockton and punch the Irish's ticket to the semifinals. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here Transfers Getting it Done The biggest stretch in this game was obviously the last minute of the first half and the opening 15-seconds of the second half. To break down that timeline, South Carolina transfer Mitch Jeter made a 48-yard field goal to put the Irish out in-front 6-3. He then kicked a touchback, which led for Duke transfer RJ Oben to have a strip-sack that the Irish recovered on Georgia's 13-yard line. Next, Duke transfer Riley Leonard connected with Clemson transfer Beaux Collins for a 13-yard touchdown, putting the Irish up 13-6 right before halftime. As Notre Dame deferred the coin toss, they received the ball to start the second half, and Marshall transfer Jayden Harrison returned it 98 yards for a touchdown. Poetic. While Marcus Freeman has stated that Notre Dame would never major in the transfer portal, he is certainly making the most of his minor degree. Northwestern transfer Rod Heard also had the pass deflection in the fourth quarter on 4th & 5 that seemed like a major gut punch to the Bulldogs' comeback effort. In the end, all of Freeman and General Manager Chad Bowen's acquisitions in the transfer portal came up in a major fashion when it mattered the most. The Notre Dame Coaching Staff Entering the game, the direct battle of Marcus Freeman vs Kirby Smart probably favored the two-time national champion winning head coach; yet, in the end, the third-year head coach won the head-to-head matchup. This was fully on display during the fire drill change, where the Irish appeared ready to punt, but replaced all 11 players on the field with the offensive unit, leaving Smart saying, "you can't do that." Well, as it turns out, you can. Since the initial Notre Dame long snapper never touched the ball, it was never a live play, in which instance the ball was dead, and the Irish could substitute all 11 players. While Notre Dame may have lucked out by the line judge missing Jadarian Price flinch on Leonard's clap, the Irish forced Georgia to jump offsides and gave Notre Dame the opportunity to ice the game, which they did. Outside of the guts shown from Freeman, there is no better combination of coordinators in college football than Al Golden, Mike Denbrock, and Marty Biagi. From Golden's perspective, every week this Notre Dame defense rises to the occasion and finds a way to stonewall explosive offenses. The Irish offense may not always look the flashiest, which may be irritating for Denbrock, but he calls a game in the way that the Notre Dame offense will not lose it. Most of the time it is an extremely conservative, run-centric effort, but it gives Notre Dame the opportunity to win games. Then, Biagi's group finds a way to out-do themselves on a weekly basis. Whether it be a blocked punt, a fake punt, a fake field goal, or a touchdown return, the special teams unit is one that provides Notre Dame a true advantage in stealing a possession every game. Onto the Next While Notre Dame might not play the most appealing brand of football, they continually find a way to win games. Yes, they only threw for 90 yards. Yes, they were outgained by 56 yards. Who cares? The Irish found a way to beat Georgia in their own game. Notre Dame was the more physically dominant team than the SEC Champion. Think about that. The depth of the Fighting Irish roster was always the thing holding Notre Dame from being elite. If the Irish had one injury to a starter, the backup couldn't fill the role in the same manner and the SEC talent gap would be on full display. Not anymore. If you were told that Jeremiyah Love would only run for 19 yards, would you be confident the Irish could win? Probably not. But whether it be Leonard, Price or Williams, Notre Dame had the depth to plug-and-place and find success. That is what is making this Fighting Irish team special, and why they are slowly inching their way to the top of the sport. I've said it before and I'll say it again: it is an exciting time to be a Notre Dame fan because in the first time in over 30 years, they have shown they can compete at the highest level. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Following a heart-breaking men’s loss to North Carolina on Saturday, the Notre Dame women’s team looks to redeem the Irish as they travel to Chapel Hill for a date with the Tar Heels. Photo via Notre Dame Athletics   It’s a matchup of two top 25 teams with the Tar Heels coming in as the 17th ranked team in college basketball. Despite the lower ranking than the Irish, who sit at number three, the Tar Heels have put together a solid start to their year as they are 13-2 through the first 15 games of the season.   North Carolina is led by its 6’3” senior forward Maria Gakdeng. The Lanham, Maryland native is averaging 11.4 points per game on an impressive 71.4% shooting in her second season with the Heels, while also grabbing 6.4 rebounds per game, and blocking a career-low one shot per game.   Gakdeng missed four games earlier on in the season with a lower body injury but has been impressive since her return. Since coming back on Nov. 29, Gakdeng is averaging 13.9 PPG, and led the Tar Heels to a victory over Kentucky back on Dec. 5, who was ranked 14th at the time. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here   Alyssa Ustby, who has scored in double figures in three straight games, including double-doubles in her last two, is another name to watch out for if you’re the Irish. She’s coming off one of the best games of her season against Miami where Ustby totaled 19 points on 50% shooting, while also grabbing 13 rebounds, four assists and four steals.   The 6’1” guard is nearly averaging a double-double on the season, scoring 11.3 PPG on 46.6% shooting and grabbing 9.1 RPG. The fifth-year senior is also averaging 1.4 steals per game, which is the lowest that number has been since Ustby joined the Tar Heels back in 2020.   With just two players averaging double figures for North Carolina, they emphasize their defense more than any team in the ACC. They’re 52.7 points per game allowed is the lowest in the ACC by nearly three points, and they also have the second highest turnover margin in the conference as well at 7.4. A solid team that is going to suffocate you on defense is just what Notre Dame needs as they look to win the ACC for the eighth time since 2014.   In order to do that, the Irish are going to need to get their scorers going early, specifically Hannah Hidalgo.   Hidalgo, the second leading scorer in the nation averaging 26 PPG, has scored 24 points or more throughout the entire month of December. During those six games, the Irish knocked off both number four Texas and number two UConn, and won games by an average of 35.5 points per game. In one of the most dominant months a team could possibly have, the Notre Dame offense was its most notable category.   That doesn’t mean Hidalgo isn’t a threat on the defensive side of the ball, because her ability to poke the ball out is up there with her ability to give a team 25 on a regular night. During the month of December, Hidalgo collected 21 steals in six games averaging 3.5 per game, which was lower than her season average of 4.1.   It is clear who the best player in college basketball, men’s or women’s, is and the sophomore guard has plenty of backup on the court.   Olivia Miles has slid in nicely to this team that lost in the Sweet 16 a season ago, a year that she missed due to an ACL injury. She hasn’t missed a step, averaging 16.7 PPG on 55.9% shooting, 6.8 RPG and 7.2 assists. The senior from New Jersey has put up a triple-double in back-to-back games, the first time a player in the ACC has ever done so, giving her three on the season. This feat was good enough to earn Miles ACC Player of the Week for the final week of 2024.   While the three-ball was not all there for Miles in the Irish’s last game against Virginia, shooting 1-7 from deep, she had a great month of three-point shooting in December. She attempted 30 threes in six games and hit 13 of those. North Carolina does have a stout defense, but Miles can still find her way from beyond the arc.   As the Irish have started out their year in the ACC at 2-0, they have their toughest conference matchup of the season against the Tar Heels. It’s setting up to be a gritty matchup between two teams that force a lot of turnovers, however the Notre Dame offense is going to be too quick for the Tar Heels to handle. With a win, the Irish would have four ranked wins already in the month of January, with three of those coming against top four teams.   The dominant Notre Dame season will continue at Noon EST in Carmichael Arena in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun

Irish Hockey outlasted the Penn State Nittany Lions in below-freezing temperatures at Wrigley Field in an eight-round shootout in a game between two programs amidst disappointing campaigns. We recap the thrilling contest below: Photo by The Irish Tribune Both teams’ offenses and goalies were on display all night. Notre Dame got on the board first, about seven and a half minutes into the game. Forward Gr ant Silianoff connected on his second goal of the year off a rebound opportunity  assisted by forward Jack Larrigan and defenseman Zach Plucinski, the defender’s first point of the season, to give the Irish a 1-0 lead. Penn State responded less than a minute later when the Lions’ Tyler Paquette wristed a shot right past Irish goalie Nicholas Kempf to tie the game at 1-1.  With under a minute remaining in the period and with less than 30 seconds on a power play opportunity thanks to a Penn State interference call, Irish forward Justin Janicke put Notre Dame back on top  2-1. Forwards Blake Biondi and Cole Knuble were credited with assists on Janicke’s sixth goal of the year. A heads-up play by Knuble to catch th e puck mid-air ultimately led to this one-goal advantage heading into the second period. Use code "IrishTribune20" to get $20 off your Notre Dame Pickleball Paddle Here The second frame was a highly defensive, quick-moving period. It was not until about 30 seconds remaining that Penn State’s Matt DiMarsico found the back of the net to tie the game at two heading into the final period. Both teams combined for just 19 shots and the Irish were able to kill the lone penalty during the second. The Nittany Lions continued their offensive burst just ten seconds into the final period when Aidan Fink added his ninth goal of the season to give his squad a 3-2 lead.  About eleven minutes into the period, the Irish tied it back up 3-3 when forward Carter Slaggert scored his first goal of the season  thanks to assists from Silianoff and Larrigan.  Both goalies played extremely well after this, combining for 30 saves in the final period to force an overtime period. Notre Dame played well in the five-minute extra time, outshooting the Lions 4-2, but this was not enough as the game needed a shootout to determine a winner. In the shootout, after allowing one goal in the first round, Kempf recorded seven consecutive saves to keep the Irish alive. Notre Dame forward Hunter Strand tied the shootout at one in the second round and no goals were scored after this until the eighth round. Defenseman Ryan Helliwell netted the eventual game-winner with a couple of fakes to send the Irish home happy. These two teams will see each other tomorrow, Sunday, in South Bend to complete this weekend set. Key Player Stats: Arsenii Sergeev (PSU): 43 saves, 3 goals against Nicholas Kempf (ND): 39 saves, 3 goals against Grant Silianoff (ND): 1 goal on 3 shots, 1 assist, 1 blocked shot, +2 Aiden Fink (PSU): 1 goal on 2 shots, 1 assist, +2 Key Team Stats: Shots: ND (46) - PSU (42) Power Play Success: ND (1-2) - PSU (0-2) Faceoffs Won: PSU (45) - ND (33) Click to Join! - https://www.facebook.com/groups/legionoftheleprechaun