Sports
Notre Dame, Penn State in College Football Playoff: Orange Bowl Keys
The first team to 20 points could win the Orange Bowl and play for the national championship.
The other half of the College Football Playoff national semifinals has shootout potential. Ohio State has scored a total of 83 points in two playoff games and Texas has scored 78, with a little help from two overtimes in the Peach Bowl win against Arizona State.
Things between Penn State and Notre Dame should be a little slower, a little more difficult and a lot more dependent on the play of two elite defenses.
Penn State has allowed 24 points through two playoff games. Against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, the Nittany Lions did what seemed impossible: contained All-America with Ashton Jeanty. He finished with a season-low 104 rushing yards. Penn State's defense also managed to score two touchdowns in a dominant first-round rout of SMU.
Notre Dame held Indiana out of the end zone to two meaningless scores with minutes left in the fourth quarter and limited Georgia to just 62 rushing yards and 4.9 yards per play.
Look for these defenses to define the Orange Bowl. Here are the most important factors that will determine which team will play for the national championship:
Riley Leonard vs. Drew Allar
Neither performed particularly well in the playoffs. Leonard completed 23 of 32 attempts for 201 yards against the Hoosiers, but only 3.8 yards per attempt against Georgia, although he did run for a team-high 80 yards in the 23-10 win. Allar was inaccurate, hitting 27 of 50 attempts, but had three touchdowns without an interception against the Broncos.
The Nittany Lions have shown they can win when the passing game struggles to connect. But turnovers can be fatal: Penn State is 2-2 when Allar throws at least one interception, with the two wins combining for 10 points against Bowling Green and Southern California.
Notre Dame trusts the former Duke transfer Leonard has earned that with his toughness, leadership and understanding of the scheme, but the offense runs smoothest when he's in the background in the running game. The Irish fight are averaging 30.3 points per game attempting 30 or more passes, an average inflated by a 52-point outburst against Florida State, and 39.9 points per game attempting fewer than 30.
Which defense wins at the front?
Penn States' performance against Boise State showed the strength of what is arguably the Bowl Subdivisions' best run defense. However, that came against the Broncos' offensive line; Notre Dame's offensive front will present a different kind of challenge.
But it's clear that whichever team wins the battle at the line of scrimmage will win the Orange Bowl.
Penn State has allowed 1,513 rushing yards on 492 carries, or 3.1 yards per carry. Five opponents have surpassed the 100-yard mark, led by Southern California's 189 yards at 7.9 yards per carry. Most of that damage came during a 75-yard scoring run in the first quarter. The Nittany Lions have held five teams under 75 yards on the ground.
Notre Dame has given up 1,791 yards on 3.6 yards per carry in one fewer game. Like the Nittany Lions, the Irish struggled against USC, allowing 197 yards and two scores, and gave up 190 yards in September's shocking loss to Northern Illinois.
But Notre Dame's numbers are also affected by two games against service academies: Navy ran for 222 yards and Army 207 yards, though they lost by a combined 72 points. And the Irish kept the Black Knights nearly 100 yards below their FBS-best average per game.
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Who plays a big role on the field?
Neither team is adept at developing explosive play in the passing game.
Penn State ranks 86th nationally with 15 receptions of 30 or more yards and ranks 108th with just four gains of 40 or more yards. Notre Dame is even worse, ranking 130th with four passing plays of more than 30 yards and tied for 126th with one completion of 40-plus.
The Irish have overcome this lack of punch with one of the most explosive running games in the country. They rank fourth nationally with 11 gains of 40 or more yards and are one of only eight teams in the FBS with a 90-yard gain.
In a game played at the line of scrimmage, the ability to make one big gain downfield could change the complexion of the Orange Bowl, forcing opposing defenses to devote more resources to the back end and free things up in the penalty area.
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Sources 2/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/ncaaf/2025/01/08/notre-dame-penn-state-college-football-playoff-orange-bowl/77436210007/ The mention sources can contact us to remove/changing this article |
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