The Notre Dame Fighting Irish secured their place in history and punched their ticket to the 2025 College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship with a dramatic 27-24 win over the Penn State Nittany Lions at the Capital One Orange Bowl on Jan. 9.
With the win, Notre Dame advances to face its next opponent in Atlanta on Jan. 20, aiming for its first national title since 1988.
Second-half surge
After a sluggish start, the Irish found their rhythm in the second half, overcoming a 10-3 halftime deficit.
Quarterback Riley Leonard, who struggled early with two interceptions, bounced back with a performance that included a 3-yard rushing touchdown in the third frame to tie the game at 10-10. Leonard finished with 267 passing yards, including a crucial 54-yard touchdown strike to wide receiver Jaden Greathouse in the fourth quarter that leveled the score at 24-24.
Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman praised Leonard’s resilience after the bout.
“He didn’t waver. Riley showed incredible poise after a tough first half,” Freeman said. “He’s the heartbeat of this team.”
Freeman, the first Black head coach to lead a team to the CFP National Championship, guided the Irish to a remarkable 14-1 season.
“It is an honor, and I hope all coaches, minorities, Black, Asian, white, it doesn’t matter,” Freeman said. “Great people continue to get opportunities to lead young men like this.”
Decisive moments
The game’s turning point came in the final seconds. With 33 seconds left and the score tied, the Irish defense intercepted a pass at Penn State’s 42-yard line, setting up Mitch Jeter’s game-winning 41-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining.
Jeter, who also connected on a 41-yard field goal as time expired in the first half, delivered under pressure, earning high praise from Freeman.
“There’s no moment too big for Mitch,” Freeman said.
The defense played a critical role, with cornerback Christian Gray recording an interception and linebacker Jack Kiser leading the team with 10 tackles.
Gray’s ability to lock down Penn State’s receivers allowed the Irish to commit more players to stop the Nittany Lions’ potent rushing attack, led by Nicholas Singleton, who tallied 84 yards and three touchdowns.
“Our defensive mindset is physicality and resilience,” Freeman said. “Christian and our entire secondary stepped up big time.”
Historic achievement
One day before Freeman’s 39th birthday, the victory marked another milestone in Notre Dame’s storied history. The Irish have won 11 national titles but have not reached the pinnacle since 1988.
Their last appearance in a national championship game came in the 2013 BCS title game, where they fell to Alabama.
“This team has battled through adversity all season,” Freeman said. “We put Notre Dame football ahead of ourselves, and that’s why we’re here.”
Notre Dame’s win sets up a chance to add a 12th national championship to its legacy. The Irish will face the winner of the other semifinal in Atlanta on Jan. 20.
Freeman emphasized the need to stay focused.
“We’ll enjoy this tonight, but the work starts again tomorrow,” he said. “Our job isn’t finished.”
The Fighting Irish came a long way since their early season loss to an unranked Northern Illinois team. It was Notre Dame’s only loss of the season.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham III at 317-762-7846. Follow him on TikTok @3Noral.
