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Two college football heavyweights will play Jan. 9 in the Orange Bowl with a spot in the College Football Playoff national championship game on the line as (6) Penn State and (7) Notre Dame square off for the first time since 2007. It will be the first postseason meeting between the Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish since the 1976 Gator Bowl. Notre Dame opened as a 1.5-point favorite as oddsmakers expect a low-scoring game with the total opening at 44.5 points.
The matchups pits a pair of teams with clear similarities as both are led by elite rushing attacks and stout defenses. Both teams also won their first two CFP games by double-digits to silence questions over their championship bona fides. The all-time series between the teams is tied at 9-9-1, and both teams are jockeying for a chance to play for their first national title since the 1980s.
Penn State stifled Boise State star running back Ashton Jeanty in a 31-14 win over the Broncos in a Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal victory, while Notre Dame outlasted SEC champion Georgia 23-14 in the Sugar Bowl. The Nittany Lions will have a two-day rest advantage on the Fighting Irish since the Sugar Bowl was delayed a day following a deadly terrorist attack in New Orleans early on New Year’s Day.
Ultimately, it’s a matchup that looks relatively even on paper. Here’s what to know about the Orange Bowl showdown.
What to know about Notre Dame
Notre Dame rallied from a stunning Week 2 home loss against Northern Illinois to win 10 straight games and close the regular season at…
Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/notre-dame-vs-penn-state-odds-2025-orange-bowl-spread-preview-for-college-football-playoff-semifinal-game/
Author : David Cobb
Publish date : 2025-01-03 01:02:00
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