School Football Playoff Image 2025: Bracket After Notre Dame vs. PSU Orange Bowl

Notre Dame is appealing onto the national championship after defeating Penn Dispute 27-24.

Stopping Irish cornerback Christian Gray intercepted Penn Dispute quarterback Drew Allar’s trail on the Nittany Lions’ 42-yard line with 30 seconds final. Mitch Jeter soon nailed a 41-yard self-discipline aim with eight seconds left for the snatch.

A defensive battle became into a shootout within the fourth quarter, when both groups blended for 31 sides.

Notre Dame working support Jeremiyah Fancy’s two-yard touchdown hump helped give his crew a 17-10 lead, however PSU working support Nicolas Singleton replied with two dashing touchdowns for a 24-17 Nittany Lion edge.

Leonard then connected with Jaden Greathouse for a 54-yard touchdown to tie the game.

Notre Dame is now 14-1, with its Week 2 loss to Northern Illinois (16-14) lengthy within the rearview replicate. This is a colossal, effectively-balanced crew that is battle-examined and ready for the national title. The defense has been lights-out more on the total than no longer, and the hump game has been colossal. Leonard struggled at cases Thursday however he got right here via when the crew obligatory him most.

The Stopping Irish await Ohio Dispute or Texas within the Cotton Bowl.

Per DraftKings Sportsbook, Ohio Dispute is a six-level approved. The game has a 53.5-level complete.

Ohio Dispute limped into the School Football Playoff after shedding 13-10 at dwelling to arch-rival Michigan, and that naturally raised the ire of the Buckeye fans, particularly at head coach Ryan Day, whose groups dangle lost four straight cases to the Wolverines.

But Ohio Dispute has been on fire within the playoffs, particularly the offensive triumvirate of quarterback Will Howard, working support TreVeyon Henderson and wide receiver Jeremiah Smith.

The No. 8 seed Buckeyes destroyed No. 9 seed Tennessee 42-17 at dwelling sooner than taking down No. 1 seed Oregon 41-21.

Howard accomplished 41-of-55 passes for 630 yards, 5 touchdowns and correct one dangle. Henderson has amassed 248 yards from scrimmage and four touchdowns. And Smith has caught 13 passes for 290 yards and four ratings.

The defense has fared effectively, too. Ohio Dispute shut previously undefeated Oregon out for your complete first half till the Geese scored a touchdown and not utilizing a time final. And Tennessee absolute top had 10 sides till a rubbish-time touchdown with beneath two minutes final.

Simply put, the Buckeyes are firing on all cylinders upright now.

That is scary data for Texas, who has encountered more bother reaching the semifinal. The Longhorns had been heavy favorites in opposition to Clemson within the first round however had been up correct 31-24 early within the fourth quarter. A Jaydon Blue 77-yard touchdown hump gave Texas the breathing room it obligatory for the eventual 38-24 snatch, though.

In the quarterfinals, Texas blew a 24-8 fourth quarter lead in opposition to one more heavy underdog in Arizona Dispute, which obtained 242 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns (two dashing, one passing) from working support Cam Skattebo.

The Solar Devils later took a 31-24 lead in further time and forced Texas into a assemble-or-die 4th-and-13, however quarterback Quinn Ewers stumbled on Matthew Golden for a 28-yard touchdown trail.

In double OT, Ewers stumbled on Gunnar Helm for a 25-yard touchdown, and Andrew Mukuba ended the game with an interception.

Texas deserves credit rating, though. The Longhorns dangle weathered the storm to practically in regards to the semifinals, and now this battle-examined crew will assemble battle in its dwelling train. On offense, Texas has eight gamers with 400 or more scrimmage yards, in conjunction with working backs Tre Wisner (1,287) and Jaydon Blue (1,023 and a crew-high 12 touchdowns).

Ewers has been snatch when called upon en path to his 29 touchdowns, and he’s stumbled on colossal connections with wideout Matthew Golden (936 yards), amongst others.

The defense has some menaces in Mukuba and Jahdae Barron (both with 5 interceptions, the latter an All-American) and Anthony Hill Jr. (107 tackles, 16 TFL and four forced fumbles).

Kickoff in AT&T Stadium, dwelling of the Dallas Cowboys, is decided for 7: 30 p.m. ET on Friday. The winner performs Notre Dame in Atlanta for the national title on Jan. 20.