Notre Dame Advances to National Championship Game with Thrilling 27-24 Win Over Penn State
Notre Dame defeated Penn State 27-24 in a College Football Playoff semifinal, setting up a historic matchup in the national championship game. The Irish trailed 10-3 at halftime, but quarterback Riley Leonard led a comeback effort in the second half, and kicker Mitch Jeter made a 41-yard field goal with seven seconds remaining to win the game.
The game was a back-and-forth, physical battle, with both teams matching each other blow for blow. Penn State took an early 10-0 lead, but Notre Dame fought back, scoring 17 unanswered points to take a 17-10 lead. Penn State tied the game at 17-17, but the Irish took the lead for good on a 10-yard touchdown pass from Leonard to Jaden Greathouse.
The teams traded punts and defensive stops in the fourth quarter, setting up a dramatic finish. With 33 seconds remaining, Notre Dame cornerback Christian Gray intercepted a pass from Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, giving the Irish the ball at the Penn State 42-yard line. Leonard converted a crucial third-down pass to Greathouse, setting up Jeter’s game-winning field goal attempt.
Jeter’s kick sailed through the uprights, securing the win and sending Notre Dame to the national championship game. The Irish will face the winner of the Texas-Ohio State game on January 20. Head coach Marcus Freeman, who became the first Black head coach to lead a team to the College Football Playoff national championship game, praised his team’s resilience and determination.
“This is a special group. You find out a lot about your team at its lowest moments. And this is a group that continued to stay together,” Freeman said. “They trust each other. They leaned on each other, and they got better. … I’m proud of this group. I’m proud of this place. Proud of this university.”