DANIA BEACH, Fla. — Notre Dame and Penn State will settle the score of what has been on ongoing debate about which team is the better one since their College Football Playoff résumés starting being compared in early November. It’s only right they’re going head-to-head in the Orange Bowl this week with a spot in the national championship game at stake.

Here’s everything you need to know about the matchup between the No. 7 seed Fighting Irish (13-1) and No. 6 seed Nittany Lions (13-2).

Pregame Reading
• Orange Bowl preview: Why Notre Dame vs. Penn State with natty on the line is the way it should be
• Three things to know about the Penn State Nittany Lions
• On paper: Who has the edge in every facet of Notre Dame vs. Penn State?

Notre Dame vs. Georgia game information

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET

Date: Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025

Site: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)

Betting line: Notre Dame -1.5 (FanDuel)

Television channel: ABC/ESPN

TV announcers: Sean McDonough, Greg McElroy, Molly McGrath and Katie George

Pregame radio: Listen to Blue & Gold’s own Tyler Horka and host Darin Pritchett on 96.1 FM WSBT starting at 4:30 p.m. ET on Game Day Sportsbeat

Local Radio: Notre Dame Radio Network football affiliates (Tony Simeone (play-by-play), Ryan Harris (color))

ESPN Radio: Dave Pasch, Roddy Jones, Taylor McGregor and Kris Budden

Series facts: Notre Dame and Penn State are tied in the all-time series, 9-9-1. Penn State won the last meeting, 31-10, in State College, Pa., on Sept. 8., 2007.

Head coaches: Penn State — James Franklin (101-41 in 11 years at PSU; 125-56 overall); Notre Dame — Marcus Freeman (32-9, third season at ND)

2024 team records 
Fighting Irish — 13-1 
-W, 23-13 at Texas A&M
-L, 16-14 vs. NIU
-W, 66-7 at Purdue
-W, 28-3 vs. Miami University
-W, 31-24 vs. Louisville
-W, 49-7 vs. Stanford
-W, 31-13 at Georgia Tech
-W, 51-14 at Navy
-W, 52-3 vs. Florida State
-W, 35-14 vs. Virginia
-W, 49-14 vs. Army
-W, 49-35 at USC
-W, 27-17 vs. Indiana (CFP first round)
-W, 23-10 vs. Georgia (Sugar Bowl)

Nittany Lions — 13-2
-W, 34-12 at West Virginia
-W, 34-27 vs. Bowling Green
-W, 56-0 vs. Kent State
-W, 21-7 vs. Illinois
-W, 27-11 vs. UCLA
-W, 33-30 (OT) at USC
-W, 28-13 at Wisconsin
-L, 20-13 vs. Ohio State
-W, 35-6 vs. Washington
-W, 49-10 at Purdue
-W, 26-25 at Minnesota
-W, 44-7 vs. Maryland
-L, 45-7 vs. Oregon (Big Ten title game)
-W, 38-10 vs. SMU (CFP first round)
-W, 31-14 vs. Boise State (Fiesta Bowl)

Noting Notre Dame: The Fighting Irish have won 13 games for the first time in program history. They’ve gotten there with a stout rushing game, one that heavily features quarterback Riley Leonard and sophomore tailback Jeremiyah Love, on offense and a defense that is one of the best in the nation against the pass and has gotten better against the run. Love’s health is a concern going into this game, though, because of a tweaked knee he’s been dealing with since late November and aggravated in the Sugar Bowl last week.

Noting Penn State: Penn State has 34 wins in the last three seasons, the best three-year stretch in program history … Like Notre Dame, this is the first time Penn State has ever won 13 games in a single season … Penn State forced 7 turnovers in its first two playoff games … This is the sixth time Penn State has played in the Orange Bowl; the Nittany Lions have a record of 4-1 … Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton make up the first Penn State duo to ever rush for 1,000 yards in the same season … Quarterback Drew Allar ranks 10th in the country in pass efficiency (157.2) … Allar is sixth all-time in Penn State history with 6,167 passing yards … Defensive end Abdul Carter is the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year; he has an astonishing 22 tackles for loss, including 11 sacks.