To claim a spot in the national championship game, the Penn State Nittany Lions and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish battled it out in the field on Thursday in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
Both teams had a stronghold over the opposing offense, rendering them scoreless in the first quarter. In the second quarter, the first touchdown drive came from the Nittany Lions, while the Fighting Irish made a field goal. Going into halftime, the Nittany Lions led the game 10-3.
Riley Leonard's offense turned things around in the second half, as they rallied back to outscore the Nittany Lions by 10 points to clinch themselves a spot in the national championship game by winning the Orange Bowl 27-24.
Notre Dame Edges Penn State in Thriller, 27-24: Game Summary
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish secured a dramatic victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions with a late field goal, prevailing 27-24 in a tightly contested matchup. Both teams displayed strong offensive drives and key defensive plays in a back-and-forth battle.
1st Quarter:
Both teams couldn't score a single point.
2nd Quarter:
14:52: Penn State struck first with a 20-yard field goal by Ryan Barker after a methodical 14-play, 55-yard drive.
2:18: Nicholas Singleton extended Penn State’s lead with a five-yard rushing touchdown, capping a 15-play, 90-yard drive.
0:00: Notre Dame ended the half with a 41-yard field goal by Mitch Jeter after a 13-play, 52-yard drive.
Halftime Score: Penn State 10, Notre Dame 3.
3rd Quarter:
10:46: Notre Dame tied the game as quarterback Riley Leonard scored on a three-yard rushing touchdown, finishing an eight-play, 75-yard drive.
Score: Penn State 10, Notre Dame 10.
4th Quarter:
14:07: Notre Dame took the lead with a two-yard touchdown run by Jeremiyah Love after a 10-play, 71-yard drive.
10:20: Penn State responded with another seven-yard touchdown run by Singleton, completing a seven-play, 75-yard drive to tie the game.
7:55: Singleton struck again with a second seven-yard touchdown run, putting Penn State ahead after a five-play, 39-yard drive.
4:38: Notre Dame tied it up with a 54-yard touchdown pass from Leonard to Jaden Greathouse, capping a seven-play, 81-yard drive.
0:07: Jeter sealed the win for Notre Dame with a clutch 41-yard field goal after a quick seven-play, 19-yard drive.