Notre Dame vs. Penn State Prediction: Orange Bowl Odds, Picks and Best Bets for Today's College Football Playoff Game

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Penn State Nittany Lions will meet from the sunshine state for the Orange Bowl. The winner of this contest will advance to the National Championship.

Penn State has posted a record of 13-2. James Franklin and company came into the College Football Playoffs ranked sixth in the nation. There was no bigger winner than Penn State on selection Sunday. The Nittany Lions drew a first-round matchup with the SMU Mustangs and a quarterfinal date with the Boise State Broncos. Penn State dominated SMU, 38-10, and then defeated Boise State, 31-14, on New Year's Eve.

Entering the season, Penn State knew they had enough talent to compete for a National Championship. Head coach James Franklin is one of the biggest questions surrounding this program. Franklin has earned a reputation for not winning the big game, so tonight would be the most crucial win in the Franklin era. Penn State has not won the National Championship since 1986.

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Notre Dame vs. Penn State Odds

Notre Dame vs. Penn State Date, Time, and Where To Watch

• Date: January 9, 2024
• Time: 7:30 pm ET
• Where To Watch: ESPN

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Notre Dame vs. Penn State Prediction

Signal caller Drew Allar has skyrocketed up the scout's boards. Allar has thrown for 3,192 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven picks. Kaytron Allen leads the ground game with 1,026 yards and eight touchdowns. Nicholas Singleton has added 1,015 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Tight end Tyler Warren has racked up a team-leading 1,158 yards and eight touchdowns. Penn State ranks 5th in points allowed per game (15.8).

Notre Dame rolls into this game with a record of 13-1. The Irish came into the postseason as the 5th overall seed. Marcus Freeman and the company suffered a shocking Week 2 loss against Northern Illinois. The loss made most people think the season was over for the Irish, but Notre Dame answered back with 12 consecutive wins.

The Fighting Irish have not won a National Championship since 1988. Notre Dame has won 11 National Championships as a program, and they're eager to get back to the top of the mountain. The all-time series record between these two teams is 9-9-1. The last time Notre Dame and Penn State played head-to-head was in 2007.

Duke transfer Riley Leonard leads the offense with 2,383 passing yards, 18 touchdowns, and six picks. Leonard has rushed for 831 yards and 15 touchdowns. St. Louis native Jeremiyah Love leads the ground game with 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns. Senior Beaux Collins has racked up 458 yards and three touchdowns. Notre Dame ranks second in points allowed per game (13.6).

Notre Dame vs. Penn State Pick

• Pick: Notre Dame ML -115 Get oddschecker+ right now for just $0.99 per month. Don't miss out on this first month deal!

We will trust the Irish to take care of business tonight.

Tonight will be a low-scoring back and forth contest. This game script will favor the better defensive team of the Irish.

Another x-factor in this game will be the coaching. Franklin has made a career of losing the big game, while Freeman has shown his ability to win big games all year.

Let's cash tonight!