The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Penn State Nittany Lions squared off in an enticing Orange Bowl matchup in the College Football Playoff semifinals. A late interception by Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar propelled the Fighting Irish to a 27-24 victory, sending Notre Dame to the National Championship Game. Here are the main takeaways from the game.
James Franklin Falls Short Again in Big Spot
This was a golden opportunity for the Nittany Lions to reach the title game, as Penn State had a favorable draw in the College Football Playoff, avoiding the likes of Oregon, Ohio State, and Texas, who were all on the other side of the bracket.
If someone told Penn State head coach James Franklin and his team that the path to the championship game would include SMU, Boise State, and Notre Dame, they would have taken that proposition without hesitation.
However, Franklin failed to finish the deal against a top-ranked team. The 52-year-old head coach is now 1-15 against teams ranked inside the top five — the second-worst record at a single school in the AP poll era — during his tenure at Penn State.
It’s a blown opportunity for Franklin and the program. Penn State was the more talented team in this game and thoroughly outplayed Notre Dame in the first half, yet was unable to put the game away during that stretch.
Drew Allar Needs Another Year of College Experience Before the NFL
Heading into this game, there was a legitimate argument for Drew Allar to consider entering the 2025 NFL Draft with a strong performance against Notre Dame.
The 6’5″, 235-pound quarterback was coming off a dominant performance against Boise State, throwing three touchdowns in a 31-14 win. Although the completion percentage (52%) and passing yards (171) were quite pedestrian statistics, the 20-year-old showed off elite arm strength and touch, making a handful of NFL-type throws in key spots.
Allar would struggle again with accuracy on Thursday night, failing to complete a single pass to one of his receivers. All of his completions went to either star tight end Tyler Warren or one of his running backs out of the backfield. The sophomore completed 12 of 23 passes for 135 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception — which cost Penn State the game.
In a weak quarterback draft class, Allar missed the opportunity to potentially skyrocket his draft stock. Nonetheless, Allar will return to school for another year and could establish himself as one of the top signal-callers in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Abdul Carter Will Be a Top-5 Pick in the 2025 NFL Draft
Shortly after the conclusion of the Orange Bowl, Penn State’s star pass rusher Abdul Carter officially declared for the 2025 NFL Draft.
As, arguably, the top pass rusher in this class, it was a foregone conclusion that Carter would forgo the rest of his college career and enter the draft. The 6’3″, 252-pound edge rusher is expected to go inside the top 10, but Thursday’s performance could propel him into the top five.
In a losing effort, Carter totaled five tackles, two tackles for loss, and a sack against Notre Dame, leaving a last impression for NFL teams and pro scouts.
This performance was no fluke, as the 21-year-old pass rusher was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and unanimous All-American, recording 24 tackles for loss and 12 sacks in 16 games this season.
There was not another player in FBS who recorded more than 21 TFLs this season, and Carter’s 12 sacks were the sixth-most in the nation.
His versatility in stopping the run and getting to the quarterback on a consistent basis is why he will be off the board near the top of the draft.
Notre Dame Must Avoid Another Slow Start in National Championship
Regardless of who Notre Dame ends up facing in the title game, whether it be Texas or Ohio State, the Fighting Irish’s offense cannot afford another sluggish start.
Unlike Georgia, without its starting quarterback, and Penn State, neither Texas nor Ohio State will give the Fighting Irish ample time to find their footing.
The Longhorns have been prone to start slow, but if they manage to upset the Buckeyes on Friday night, it will be tough to imagine them stumbling out of the gates in the championship. Ohio State has been lethal offensively and is coming off a blowout 41-21 win over Oregon.
Over the last two games, the Fighting Irish are averaging eight points in the first half and have failed to score any points in both first quarters during that span.
If this trend continues in the next game, expect either team on the other side to jump out to a substantial lead out of the gates.
Marcus Freeman Has Entered Elite Tier of CFB Coaches
After falling to Northern Illinois early in the season, it appeared that Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff hopes were done. With an already weak schedule and not being represented by a conference, the Fighting Irish couldn’t afford to lose games against lower competition.
And from that point on, Notre Dame did not lose another game. It hasn’t been high-flying football, but Notre Dame has taken down two Big Ten teams (Indiana and Penn State) and one SEC team (Georgia) on their way to the championship game.
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Head coach Marcus Freeman deserves a majority of the credit. He’s been able to retain players despite the transfer portal causing constant roster turnover and outcoached top-tier coaches with less talent on his roster.
Don’t be surprised if NFL teams show some level of interest in this hiring cycle. If Freeman is not hired this time around, he could be an NFL head coach as soon as 2026.
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