Penn State Vs. Notre Dame: Keys to the Orange Bowl

The Nittany Lions meet the Fighting Irish for a spot in the College Football Playoff championship game.

Penn State Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar (15) throws a pass against the Boise State Broncos during the second half in the Fiesta Bowl at State Farm Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Penn State and Notre Dame were considered two of the most significant beneficiaries of the expanded College Football Playoff. Each team has consistently produced seasons with double-digit wins, but only Notre Dame made the four-team playoff (losing in the semifinals in 2019 and 2021). Now, the two historic programs will face off in the Orange Bowl for a spot in the CFP championship game. 

The opening two rounds of the playoff brought interesting matchups for the Penn State football team, which also clearly owned the talent advantage in both games against SMU and Boise State. The Orange Bowl represents an opportunity for James Franklin’s squad to make some big noise against its toughest opponent since the Big Ten Championship. Here are the keys for Penn State to defeat Notre Dame on Thursday. 

Continue dominating the trenches

Penn State’s impressive postseason stretch has been all about its play on the lines. SMU and Boise State both confronted Penn State with strong run-stopping defenses, and then the Nittany Lions gashed both for more than 180 rushing yards. Defensively, Penn State was tasked with stopping the country’s most dynamic running back, Ashton Jeanty, in the Fiesta Bowl. Jeanty totaled season-lows in rushing yards (104) and yards per carry (3.5) while fumbling twice.

The more Penn State controls the line of scrimmage, the better chance it has to beat a Notre Dame squad that also has found success in the trenches. The Fighting Irish allowed just 2.3 yards per carry against both Indiana and Georgia, also running for at least 154 yards in both of those playoff matchups.

“I think in a lot of ways, they are built similar to us,” Franklin said of Notre Dame on Saturday. “They do a great job of not beating themselves, which I think is a really important thing in college football. … [Notre Dame’s] running backs, they are legit. They have a massive offensive line.”

The Orange Bowl undoubtedly will be a battle in the trenches. To find a team that matches Penn State’s size and physicality as well as Notre Dame, you’d have to go back to the Nittany Lions’ matchup vs. Ohio State in November. With or without Abdul Carter in south Florida, Penn State has to slow down quarterback Riley Leonard and backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price in a deep Fighting Irish ground game. Defensively, it will take some more dominant blocking for Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton to continue their recent hot streak.

Drew Allar’s connection with his wide receivers

Since Notre Dame likely will contain Allen and Singleton better than either of Penn State’s prior playoff opponents, the Nittany Lions will need a consistent, mistake-free performance from quarterback Drew Allar, specifically in his connection with his wide receivers. 

Notre Dame’s defense is too talented for Penn State to sneak by without Allar making his presence felt through the air. The Fighting Irish secondary allows just 167.4 passing yards per game. Tight end Tyler Warren’s reliability can help alleviate some stress, but how effectively will Allar get the ball to his receivers downfield? Omari Evans had some highlight moments against Boise State, while Harrison Wallace III was Penn State’s leading receiver vs. SMU. But Notre Dame is especially stingy when it comes to limiting explosive plays, allowing gains of 30-plus yards just twice in the playoff. 

“They're obviously very detailed and very well-coached. … They're not just leaving guys and dropping guys downfield in the pass game,” Allar said Saturday. “We're down to the final four teams, and there's not going to be a weak link on any team. … Statistically, their defense is really good. So it's going to be a really fun matchup.”

If the Nittany Lions’ run game can’t find success against Notre Dame, Allar’s ability to find his receivers in one-on-one coverage on second and third down could dictate how long Penn State’s offense stays on the field. The quarterback had some highlight moments in the Fiesta Bowl, dishing out three touchdown passes on impressive throws. Now’s the time for him to showcase his talent on more of a play-by-play basis.

Force Riley Leonard to make tough throws

Going hand-in-hand with stopping the Notre Dame ground game, Penn State should challenge Leonard, the Fighting Irish’s transfer quarterback, to make plays with his arm. In the Sugar Bowl, Leonard threw for just 90 yards and one touchdown in Notre Dame’s 23-10 victory. While his running ability (831 rushing yards, 15 touchdowns) makes a significant impact, Leonard has managed a talented, run-first offense with his arm rather than lifting its ceiling.

Leonard has also thrown an interception in three of his last five games. He is susceptible to turnovers, but because he doesn’t take many shots down the field, they don’t come often. By forcing Notre Dame into third-and-long situations, especially by slowing its run game, Penn State could get Leonard to take chances downfield. 

Like Allar, Leonard hasn’t had to be a superhero very often for Notre Dame. His season-high in passing yards is 229. But Leonard’s mobility and big frame (6-4, 216 pounds) will present a challenge for the Nittany Lions. If they can force him into long-range passing situations often, the Nittany Lions may effectively keep the Fighting Irish off the scoreboard.

“You look at SMU, and it was a very similar situation just in terms of how [Mustangs QB Kevin Jennings] was able to run and create explosive plays on his feet. And I think we did a tremendous job,” defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas said Sunday. “It'll be no different this week, especially with their offensive line and [Leonard] being more of a mobile quarterback and them running more a lot of QB sneaks.”

Penn State will take on Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl at 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, with the game airing on ESPN.

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Daniel Mader, a May 2024 graduate of Penn State, is an Editorial Intern with The Sporting News. As a student journalist with The Daily Collegian, he served as a sports editor and covered Nittany Lions women’s basketball, men’s volleyball and more. He has also covered Penn State football for NBC Sports and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, with additional work in the Centre Daily Times, Lancaster Online and more. Follow him on X @DanielMader_    or Instagram @dmadersports.