Irish Breakdown

College GameDay Experts Make Their Picks for Notre Dame vs. Penn State Orange Bowl

The staff was split on who advances to college football's national championship game

Nick Shepkowski

Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; ESPN analysts Nick Saban and Lee Corso before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Hard Rock Stadium.
Jan 9, 2025; Miami, FL, USA; ESPN analysts Nick Saban and Lee Corso before the game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions at Hard Rock Stadium. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
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Just before kickoff at the Orange Bowl the ESPN College GameDay crew was on-hand and made their picks for the national semifinal game between Notre Dame and Penn State.

Experts from across the sport have weighed in over the last week with picks for the game being very split. The College GameDay crew was more of the same as the five that made predictions had three going one way and two the other.

Here is how the College GameDay staff went with their Notre Dame vs. Penn State predictions:

Desmond Howard: Penn State
Nick Saban: Notre Dame
Kirk Herbstreit: Notre Dame
Pat McAfee: Penn State
Lee Corso: Notre Dame

Penn State closed as a one-point favorite after Notre Dame being favored the majority of the last week.

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Nick Shepkowski
NICK SHEPKOWSKI

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