Notre Dame beats Penn State 27-24, advances to national championship game
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (WNDU) - This team never quit.
They were down 10-0 late in the second quarter with an offense that looked lackluster and a defense that was getting bullied, but this team never quit.
They lost starters on the offensive line and even their starting quarterback (albeit the latter was very temporary), but this team never quit.
They scored 17 unanswered, only to fall behind 24-17 in what felt like an instant, but this team never quit.
There were some questionable calls (and no calls) by the referees that benefited their opponent, but this team never quit.
Some of them even had the flu (reportedly), but this team never quit.
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish never quit on Thursday night, and now they will play for their 12th national title in program history after winning a 27-24 thriller over Penn State in the Orange Bowl.
The game was an instant classic, as it featured three ties, three lead changes and 31 points in the fourth quarter alone.
This back-and-forth thriller started slow (and boring), especially for Notre Dame fans, but Riley Leonard’s injury late in the second quarter seemingly injected life into things. While Leonard went to the medical tent to be checked for a concussion, backup quarterback Steve Angeli came in and led the Irish downfield, allowing them to get their first points on the board with a Mitch Jeter field goal in the closing seconds of the first half.
Leonard came back in the second half and led Notre Dame on touchdown drives of 75 and 72 yards to give the Irish a 17-10 lead. But Penn State tied things right back up less than four minutes later with a seven-play, 75-yard scoring drive of its own.
Leonard then threw a very costly interception — his second of the game — and Penn State retook the lead after five more plays (and a Notre Dame interception that was called off by a pass interference penalty).
With 4:38 left in the game, Leonard hit Jaden Greathouse for a 54-yard score to tie the game at 24 after a Penn State defender slipped.
The Irish defense then forced a quick three-and-out to give the offense a chance to put the game away, but Penn State forced a Notre Dame punt and looked assured of at least going to overtime when they took over at their 15 yard line with 33 seconds left.
But a few plays later, Fighting Irish defensive back Christian Gray made a diving interception off an ill-advised pass by Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar, giving Notre Dame the ball at Penn State’s 42 yard line with 33 seconds left to play.
The Irish then moved the ball 19 yards to set up a 41-yard winning field goal by Jeter with 7 seconds left.
Notre Dame (14-1) will look to win its first title since 1988 in Atlanta on Jan. 20. The Irish will face Ohio State after the Buckeyes defeated Texas in the Cotton Bowl 28-14 on Friday night.
In the final, Irish coach Marcus Freeman will try to become the first Black coach to win the title at college football’s highest level.
Leonard finished with 223 yards and one touchdown passing. He also had 35 yards rushing and ran for a score, earning him Orange Bowl offensive MVP. It should come as no surprise that Gray won defensive MVP for his late-game heroics.
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