The Orange Bowl pits two of college football's top defenses against each other: Penn State's elite run defense versus Notre Dame's potent three-headed rushing attack.
Penn State is among the nation's best at stopping the run but Notre Dame runs it better than most. Something's got to give. Penn State held Boise State running back Ashton Jeanty to 104 yards on 30 carries. They'll need a similar performance in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame . and No. 7 seed Notre Dame meet in Miami Gardens on Jan. 9 in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Orange Bowl (7:30 p.m., ESPN), two of the best defenses in college football will take the field.
Notre Dame boasts the second-best scoring defense nationally (13.6 points allowed), behind only Ohio State. Penn State is seventh in that department (15.8). On paper, the Irish and Nittany Lions are similarly structured. Notre Dame’s run-based offense is led by running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price and the dual-threat skill set of quarterback Riley Leonard. Meanwhile, Penn State’s backfield tandem of Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton has averaged 203.3 yards over the last three games on 7.8 yards per carry.A chess match between the opposing coordinators lies ahead as neither defense has surrendered 20 points in their first two playoff games. Here are the key stats to know before the Irish and Nittany Lions meet for the first time since 2007 (Penn State’s first “White Out”) and the 20th time overall:Penn State put forth a dominant performance against Boise State’s Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty in the Fiesta Bowl. Though Jeanty eclipsed the 100-yard mark, he was held under 125 yards for the first time all season and averaged just 3.5 yards per carry, his lowest mark since September 2023. The Nittany Lions took pride in slowing Jeanty down and forcing Boise State to pass the ball. Defensive coordinator Tom Allen’s unit, which ranks eighth nationally in rushing yards per game (100.9) likely will need to replicate that performance against Notre Dam
COLLEGE FOOTBALL ORANGE BOWL PENN STATE NOTRE DAME RUN DEFENSE RUSHING ATTACK
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Penn State Football: What Penn State Is Saying About Boise State in the Fiesta BowlThe Penn State Nittany Lions' offensive starts discuss the buzz, and the grind, of playing the Boise State Broncos in the College Football Playoff.
Read more »
College football bowl game predictions: Indiana vs. Notre Dame, Penn State vs. SMUIndiana will cover against Notre Dame on Friday, The Post’s Howie Kussoy predicts.
Read more »
Virginia Football 's Malachi Fields Draws Interest from Penn State and Notre DameFormer Virginia Football wide receiver Malachi Fields Draws Interest from Penn State and Notre Dame
Read more »
Penn State to Face Notre Dame in CFP SemifinalPenn State will face Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff semifinals after defeating Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.
Read more »
Notre Dame Advances to CFP Semifinals, Favored to Beat Penn StateNotre Dame's dominant performance against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl secured their spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals. They will face Penn State in the Orange Bowl, where they are favored to win. The Irish defense was stellar, holding Georgia to just 62 rushing yards and forcing two turnovers. The winner of this matchup will advance to the National Championship game against either Ohio State or Texas.
Read more »
Notre Dame Set to Face Penn State in College Football Playoff SemifinalThe Notre Dame Fighting Irish will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl semifinal game on January 9th. This matchup marks the third time Notre Dame has reached the College Football Playoff semifinals.
Read more »