Both Notre Dame and Penn State have surpassed all previous records for game play in their storied histories.

The No. 7 Fighting Irish (13-1) and the Nittany Lions (13-2) are looking to clinch their spots for the national championship game, needing just two more victories to make history. This crucial matchup is set for 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the College Football Playoff Orange Bowl semifinal, taking place at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Catch the Notre Dame vs. Penn State game live with Fubo (free trial)

Notre Dame aims for its 12th national championship, the first since 1988, whereas Penn State is chasing its first national title since 1986 and the third in its history. This marks Notre Dame’s third appearance in a semifinal game, where they haven’t won yet (0-2), while Penn State looks to make its debut in this stage.

Penn State recently achieved a strong 31-14 victory over No. 3 Boise State on New Year’s Eve, while Notre Dame claimed a commendable 23-10 win against No. 2 Georgia on January 2. Historically, the rivalry stands at a tie of 9-9-1, with Penn State emerging victorious in their last clash in 2007.

The winner of this semifinal will go on to face the winner of Friday’s match between No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State in the national championship game scheduled for January 20.

Stay tuned below for live scores, updates, and highlights from the Thursday CFP semifinal between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 6 Penn State:

Orange Bowl Score Updates

This section will refresh once the game starts.

Pregame Highlights

Arrival of Penn State at Hard Rock Stadium

While the Notre Dame players are already warming up, Penn State has just reached Hard Rock Stadium for today’s crucial match-up, arriving nearly 30 minutes later than the Fighting Irish.

Jeremiyah Love of Notre Dame Prepping

Notre Dame’s running back, Jeremiyah Love, is currently preparing for the Orange Bowl match against Penn State. Although he is expected to play, he is not at full capacity due to a knee sprain.

Orange Bowl Timing

• Date: Thursday, January 9
• Kick-off Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
• Venue: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, FL)

The Orange Bowl featuring Notre Dame and Penn State is slated to kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

Orange Bowl Broadcast Information

• Broadcast Channel: ESPN
• Online Streaming: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial available)
• Radio Broadcast: ESPN Radio

You can catch the Fighting Irish’s game against the Nittany Lions on ESPN, featuring play-by-play from Sean McDonough and analysis from Greg McElroy.

For those looking to stream, options include the ESPN App and Fubo, which provides a free trial for new subscribers.

Historical Matchup: Notre Dame vs. Penn State

• Overall Series Record: Tied 9-9-1
• Penn State’s Last Victory: 2007 (31-10)
• Notre Dame’s Last Victory: 2006 (41-17)

Orange Bowl Predictions

Here are some predictions for Thursday’s CFP semifinal between Notre Dame and Penn State:

• Frank Bodani, York Daily Record: Notre Dame 21, Penn State 17
• Bill Bender, The Sporting News: Notre Dame 23, Penn State 20
• ESPN Analytics: Penn State has a 41.4% chance of winning

Orange Bowl Betting Trends

Odds provided by BetMGM as of January 7

• Point Spread: Notre Dame (-1.5)
• Over/Under: 45.5 points
• Moneyline: Notre Dame (-125) | Penn State (+105)

Updates on Injuries for Orange Bowl

This section will be revised once the injury reports from both teams are available

Weather Forecast for Orange Bowl

As per The Weather Channel, the temperature in Miami Gardens on Thursday is expected to reach a high of 68 degrees and a low of 50 degrees. The forecast indicates a 0% chance of rain.

Penn State 2024 Football Schedule

• Saturday, Aug. 31: at West Virginia (W, 34-12)
• Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. Bowling Green (W, 34-27)
• Saturday, Sept. 14: BYE
• Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Kent State (W, 56-0)
• Saturday, Sept. 28: vs. No. 19 Illinois (W, 21-7) *
• Saturday, Oct. 5: vs. UCLA (W, 27-11) *
• Saturday, Oct. 12: at USC (W, 33-30, OT) *
• Saturday, Oct. 19: BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 26: at Wisconsin (W, 28-13) *
• Saturday, Nov. 2: vs. No. 4 Ohio State (L, 20-13) *
• Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Washington (W, 35-6) *
• Saturday, Nov. 16: at Purdue (W, 49-10) *
• Saturday, Nov. 23: at Minnesota (W, 26-25) *
• Saturday, Nov. 30: vs. Maryland (W, 44-7) *
• Saturday, Dec. 7: vs. No. 1 Oregon (Big Ten championship game) (L, 45-37)
• Saturday, Dec. 21: vs. No. 11 SMU (CFP first round) (W, 38-10) **
• Tuesday, Dec. 31: vs. No. 3 Boise State (CFP Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal) (W, 31-14)**
• Thursday, Jan. 9: vs. No. 7 Notre Dame (CFP Orange Bowl semifinal)
• Overall Record: 13-2, 8-1 in Big Ten competition

* Indicates Big Ten game

** Indicates CFP seed

Purchase Orange Bowl tickets through SeatGeek

Notre Dame 2024 Football Schedule

• Saturday, Aug. 31: at No. 29 Texas A&M (W, 23-13)
• Saturday, Sept. 7: vs. Northern Illinois (L, 16-14)
• Saturday, Sept. 14: at Purdue (W, 66-7)
• Saturday, Sept. 21: vs. Miami, Ohio (W, 28-3)
• Saturday, Sept. 28: vs. No. 17 Louisville (W, 31-24)
• Saturday, Oct. 5: BYE
• Saturday, Oct. 12: vs. Stanford (W, 49-7)
• Saturday, Oct. 19: vs. Georgia Tech (W, 31-13)
• Saturday, Oct. 26: vs. No. 24 Navy (W, 51-14)
• Saturday, Nov. 2: BYE
• Saturday, Nov. 9: vs. Florida State (W, 52-3)
• Saturday, Nov. 16: vs. Virginia (W, 35-14)
• Saturday, Nov. 23: vs. No. 17 Army (W, 49-14)
• Saturday, Nov. 30: at USC (W, 49-35)
• Friday, Dec. 20: vs. No. 10 Indiana (CFP first round) (W, 27-17) *
• Thursday, Jan. 2: vs. No. 2 Georgia (CFP Sugar Bowl quarterfinal) (W, 23-10) *
• Thursday, Jan. 9: vs. No. 6 Penn State (CFP Orange Bowl semifinal) *
• Overall Record: 13-1

* Indicates CFP seed