Notre Dame pip Penn State in Orange Bowl thriller to reach CFP title game

A diving interception of an ill-advised pass set up Notre Dame’s trip to play for the program’s 12th national title after a thrilling 27-24 victory over Penn State on Thursday night in the Orange Bowl.

Fighting Irish defensive back Christian Gray snared Drew Allar’s pass up the middle at the Nittany Lions 42 with 33 seconds left, then the Irish advanced 19 yards to set up Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard winner with 7 seconds left.

The game had three ties, three lead changes and 31 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Notre Dame (14-1), seeded seventh in this first 12-team college playoff, will have a chance to bring back their first title since 1988 under the Golden Dome with a Jan. 20 game against Friday night’s winner Texas. -Ohio State Semifinals.

In that game, Irish coach Marcus Freeman will try to become the first black coach to win the title at the highest level of college football.

Sixth seed Penn State (13-3) fell agonizingly short in a game it controlled for the first 28 minutes. Coach James Franklin fell to 4-20 with the Nittany Lions against teams in the AP top 10.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard shook off a hit late in the second quarter, sending him to the medical tent to be checked for a concussion. He led the Irish on four scoring drives in the second half, including the final one.

He finished with 223 yards passing, including a key 10-yard dart to Jaden Greathouse to earn third-and-3 on the final drive. Leonard also had 35 yards rushing, each passing and running for a score.

The match started slowly (and boring), but Riley’s injury brought life back into the game. He led Notre Dame on TD drives of 75 and 72 yards in the third quarter to turn a 10-0 deficit into a 17-10 lead.

At that point, the game had only just begun.