Notre Dame vs. Penn State history dates back to 1913, but College Football Playoff meeting is first since 2007

For the first time in 17 years, Notre Dame and Penn State are set to face off on a football field. This time, there’s a lot on the line, as the 7-seed Fighting Irish will play the 6-seed Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl, with a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship on the line. 

Two of college football’s most storied programs, battling it out on one of the biggest stages for an opportunity to capture the most illustrious prize in the sport: it doesn’t get bigger than that. 

Adding to the excitement is the deep history between Notre Dame and Penn State, even if more modern college football fans aren’t as steeped in the tradition. There’s plenty of excitement and buzz between the two fanbases, which share plenty of cultural and geographical crossover. 

In the 1980s, the Nittany Lions and the Fighting Irish played every year. And it was a hotly contested rivalry — the all-time series is split at an even 9-9-1. Neither team has won more than three in a row in the series since 1976. 

Ahead of such an anticipated clash, it felt appropriate to dive into the history between Notre Dame and Penn State.

The start 

Penn State and Notre Dame first met on the gridiron in 1913, when Fighting Irish coach Jesse Harper — who also coached basketball and baseball — led his team to a 14-7 win against Bill Hollenback and the Nittany Lions. Notre Dame, captained by a young man named Knute Rockne (more on him later), finished the 1913 season 7-0 with other impressive wins against Texas and Army. 

It took 13 years for Notre Dame and Penn State to play again. This time Rockne was in his ninth year coaching the Irish. Notre Dame won its third straight game to open the season by downing Penn State, led by Hugo Bezdek (who was also the…

Source link : https://www.cbssports.com/college-football/news/notre-dame-vs-penn-state-history-dates-back-to-1913-but-college-football-playoff-meeting-is-first-since-2007/

Author : Will Backus

Publish date : 2025-01-08 17:42:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.