Christian Gray’s fingers scraped the grass for an interception in the final seconds, which led to a go-ahead field goal and carried Notre Dame past Penn State on Friday in the first College Football Playoff semifinal.

 

 

The Fighting Irish, seeded sixth in the College Football Playoff, trailed 10-0, but rallied with a strong second half in the 27-24 Orange Bowl triumph at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. They will now face No. 7 Texas or No. 8 Ohio State in the Jan. 20 title game.

 

“These guys are a bunch of savages,” Irish coach Marcus Freeman said on the ESPN broadcast. “They are built different. I’m so proud of them, just what they’ve accomplished, the way they stay together and find ways to improve.

 

“When they stay together, they are a special group.”

 

The Irish (14-1), who own a national-best 13-game winning streak, out-gained the No. 6 Nittany Lions (13-3) 383 to 339 in total yards.

 

They struggled to get going in the first half, with the Nittany Lions holding a 141 to 15 advantage in rushing yards through the first two quarters. The Irish responded with 111 rushing yards in the second half.

 

“I’m a firm believer in whether you think you can or can’t do something, you’re right,” Irish quarterback Riley Leonard said. “We believe that we can do it and we went out there and did it.”

 

The Nittany Lions leaned on a strong pass rush, which totaled five sacks, to startle an Irish offensive line that featured several backups due to injuries to starters. Running back Nicholas Singleton, who totaled 117 yards and three scores, was the star of the Nittany Lions offense.

 

Defense dominated early on, with neither the Irish nor Nittany Lions scoring points in the first quarter. Nittany Lions kicker Ryan Barker ended the drought with a 20-yard field goal 8 seconds into the second. The Nittany Lions used 15 plays to go 90 yards on their next drive, with Singleton finding the end zone on a 5-yard run.

 

 

Leonard left the game to be checked for a concussion on the final drive of the first half, but backup quarterback Steve Angeli managed to get the Irish in field goal range in relief of the starter.

 

Kicker Mitch Jeter split the uprights from 41 yards to make the score 10-3 at halftime.

 

Leonard returned to start the second half and sparked an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. He ran for a 3-yard score to end that possession. The Irish defense forced punts on the Nittany Lions’ next two drives.

 

Leonard and the offense found the end zone again to continue a surge of 17-consecutive points about a minute into the fourth quarter. Running back Jeremiyah Love muscled through defenders with a very physical 2-yard run before reaching the ball over the goal line to cap that drive and give the Irish their first lead.

 

But the Nittany Lions answered with another Singleton score about 4 minutes later. Leonard threw an interception on the next play, giving the ball and momentum back to the Nittany Lions.

 

Singleton’s third rushing score, a 7-yard run, came less than 3 minutes later.

 

Leonard answered with his longest completion of the night, finding wide receiver Jaden Greathouse with a 54-yard touchdown toss.

 

 

The Irish never trailed again.

 

They forced a 3-and-out and Nittany Lions punt on the next possession, but also were forced to punt when their offense stalled.

 

Singleton started the next drive with a 13-yard run with 38 seconds remaining. Allar then dropped back to pass a few seconds later, but went on to make his critical error. He looked to his left before throwing a pass right.

 

Gray kept his eyes locked on the ball and dove toward the throw, snagging his game-changing interception.

 

Jeter then snuck his go-ahead, 41-yard field goal just inside the right upright with seven seconds remaining, giving the Irish their final lead.

 

Allar and the Nittany Lions failed to move into scoring range before time expired on their final drive, sealing the Irish victory.

 

Leonard completed 15 of 23 passes for 223 yards, one score and two interceptions. He also ran for 35 yards and a score on 18 carries. Greathouse totaled 105 yards on seven catches, including his touchdown. Allar completed 12 of 23 passes for 135 yards and an interception in the loss.

 

 

The Irish will face the Longhorns or Buckeyes in the national title game Jan. 20 in Atlanta. The Buckeyes will take on the Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl, the other College Football Playoff semifinal, at 7:30 p.m. EST Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. That meeting will air on ESPN.

 

 

Notre Dame’s Sugar Bowl victory celebration over Georgia was a family affair for Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman.

 

After Notre Dame defeated Georgia 23-10 on Thursday, January 2 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans, Freeman, 38, posed with his wife, Joanna, and their six children on the field as confetti fell around them and the university’s band played jubilantly in the background.

 

Marcus and Joanna got married in 2010 after meeting during their time at The Ohio State University. Together, they share six children: son Vinny, 17, daughter Siena, 12, son Gino, 11, son Nico, 9, daughter Capri, 7, and son Rocco, 6.

 

With Notre Dame’s victory, the team advanced to the College Football Playoff semifinals, where they will face Penn State on Thursday, January 9. The winner of that game will then face the winner of Ohio State/Texas in the National Championship Game on January 20.

 

Notre Dame Head Coach Marcus Freeman s Family Guide His Wife Joanna and Their 6 Kids 572

 

Joanna and the kids have been by Marcus’ side throughout his tenure at Notre Dame, dating back to his introductory press conference in 2021.

 

Shortly after his hiring, Joanna candidly admitted that their relationship hasn’t exactly been the stuff of fairy tales.

 

“We don’t have a super romantic love story,” Joanna told Yahoo Sports in 2021. “We had a lot of breakups and make-ups. We fell hard. We fell fast. We were really young when we met, and in a lot of ways, we really grew and matured into adults together.”

 

After Thursday’s game, Freeman was asked about the historical significance of the victory. Prior to this season, a Black coach had never coached a game in the College Football Playoff. Along with Penn State head coach James Franklin, there are two Black coaches in this year’s semifinals.

 

Notre Dame Coach Marcus Freeman Celebrated Sugar Bowl Win With His Entire Family on the Field

 

“You’re very grateful,” Freeman said. “It’s a reminder that you are a representation for many others and many of our players that look the same way I do. Your color shouldn’t matter. The evidence of your work should.”

 

Penn State QB Drew Allar and GF Emma Bush High School Sweethearts to the College Football Playoff

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He continued, “But it takes everybody. That’s what I continue to remind myself. When people will try to point the finger at you, it’s a great reminder [that] you’re not in this position without everybody, without all these guys. And that’s what I told them in the locker room.”

 

 

 

The No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish entered Thursday night having never recorded a win against the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs in their program’s history. However, in Marcus Freeman’s first meeting with the Bulldogs as head coach, he coached a gem and led Notre Dame to an impressive 23-10 victory, dominated by the defense and special teams.

 

With the win over Georgia, the Fighting Irish made college football history, becoming the first team ever to beat an AP-ranked opponent in six different months in the same season.

 

 

Georgia took a 3-0 lead on Thursday, but Notre Dame responded with 20 unanswered points. The Fighting Irish capitalized on a turnover to score a touchdown, then added a kick-return touchdown to start the second half. They also made two crucial field goals during the stretch run.

 

Notre Dame’s defense was the story of the game, as they won the turnover battle. Georgia turned the ball over just shy of the end zone in the first half and then gave it up again inside their own 25-yard line before halftime, leading to points for the Fighting Irish.

 

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman is announced to fans after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs after the game at Caesars Superdome.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman is announced to fans after defeating the Georgia Bulldogs after the game at Caesars Superdome. Stephen

With a stagnant rushing attack and first-time starter Gunner Stockton at quarterback, Georgia’s offense couldn’t overcome the deficit. Notre Dame secured a 23-10 victory, earning a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinals to face the No. 6 Penn State Nittany Lions.

 

 

 

 

Notre Dame kick returner Jayden Harrison took the opening kickoff of the second half back 98 yards to cap off an unbelievable stretch of 17 points in 54 seconds against 2-seed Georgia in a 23-10 win in the Sugar Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal. The return gave the Fighting Irish a commanding 20-3 lead in the third quarter.

 

After catching the kickoff, Harrison, a former All-American kick returner, maneuvered around a mess of five Georgia defenders and broke it outside with plenty of daylight. Kicker Peyton Woodring had one last crack at Harrison, but he outran him down the sideline to reach the end zone flanked by plenty of extra blockers.

 

Notre Dame and Georgia were scoreless at the end of the first quarter, marking the first time since 2018 that a CFP game went a full quarter without points. With 39 seconds remaining in the half, the score was only 3-3. However, the Irish went on a massive run from there.

 

Kicker Mitch Jeter connected on a 48-yarder with 39 seconds remaining to take their first lead. One play later, RJ Oben forced a fumble on a sack of Georgia quarterback Gunner Stockton which was recovered by Junior Tuihalamaka. Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard hit Beaux Collins for a 13-yard touchdown only 11 seconds after the field goal. Harrison capped it off with the 98-yard return

 

 

 

Coming into the 2024 season, Notre Dame football had one linebacker starting spot secured in graduate senior Jack Kiser.

 

The other two were up for grabs amongst a host of younger faces, with mainly sophomores and freshmen battling through spring and fall camp to determine who’d earn those starting spots.

 

Sophomore Drayk Bowen ended up nabbing one of those positions, becoming a key fixture from his MIKE linebacker spot. He’ll have to continue his solid performances Wednesday when the No. 7 Irish (12-1) face No. 7 Georgia (11-2) in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals at the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans (8:45 p.m. ET, ESPN).

 

“He’s just steady, right?” said Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden of Bowen. “Consistent and continuous improvement ― really, really hard concept for young people. Easy to talk about, but really hard to do. To be the same guy every day and to continue to progress and make the journey.”

 

Earning his playing time

Bowen came to Notre Dame after winning the 2022 Indiana Mr. Football Award at Andrean High School, located in the northwest Indiana city of St. John. He was a two-sport star for the 59ers, something he’s carried over to his time with the Irish as well. He saw sparing playing time for Notre Dame baseball last spring, mostly used as a pinch runner for a rebuilding Irish program.

 

He saw the football field as a freshman in 12 of 13 games in 2023, but didn’t start. Used in special teams primarily, he finished the season with 14 tackles.

 

The graduations of JD Bertrand and Marist Liufau created competition at the linebacker spot this offseason, though, and Bowen was able to capitalize on it. He’s just one of six Notre Dame players to start all 13 games played so far this season, recording 56 tackles (third best on the team) and one sack.

 

“The biggest challenge was learning all the different offenses you’re going to see each week,” said Bowen of becoming a full-time starter. “No offense is really the same. They’re all specializing in one or two runs that have some similarities in them, but they’re all not the same. Week to week, that’s the biggest challenge: breaking down which team is doing what.

 

“Throughout the year, you see so many things that you kind of get ready for everything and have an answer for everything.”

 

While Kiser is the leader of the linebacking corps, Bowen steps in and signals the play calls to his teammates when Kiser is not on the field. It’s expected for Bowen to take over those duties full-time for next season.

 

“He’s calling it better when he has the green dot,” said Golden, referencing the button on helmets for the players on the field who call in the plays. “I just think he’s so much better with his hands, getting off blocks and seeing it. I’m just really excited about him and for him because he’s put a lot into it.”

 

Adjusting to a four-man rotation

While Bowen and junior Jaylin Sneed ultimately won the starting linebacker spots, the Irish have used a five-man rotation for the bulk of the season at the position, rotating in freshman Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa and sophomore Jaiden Ausberry.

 

That took a hit late in the season, though, when Viliamu-Asa went down with a right knee injury. He missed the regular season finale against USC and first playoff game against Indiana, and is questionable to play Wednesday against Georgia.

 

“He was an integral part, and it was hard to not have him,” said Bowen of Viliamu-Asa. “We changed up our rotation a little bit, and hopefully we’ll get him back at some point. … We’ve slowly gotten adjusted to a new rotation and having four linebackers right now.”

 

How high school prepped Bowen for this stage

While the stakes of a College Football Playoff are much higher, Bowen knows what its like to make lengthy postseason runs in football. He won a Class 2A state championship at Andrean in 2021 and was state runner-up in 2022.

 

That’s 15 consecutive games each fall respectively, which is one shy of the number of contests Notre Dame would play should they reach the national championship game.

 

“Going those extra six games in high school … just knowing the wear-and-tear it’s going to take on your body and knowing you have to be proactive and recover,” Bowen said. “I think that’s the biggest thing, just knowing how much hurt it’s going to take on your body. And it takes even more in college because you’re taking bigger hits.”