Notre Dame football is on the brink of capturing its first national championship title in the College Football Playoff (CFP).

The Irish, seeded seventh, earned their place in the CFP championship game on Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium by defeating sixth-seeded Penn State Nittany Lions with a score of 27-24 in the CFP Orange Bowl semifinal.

They will compete against the winner of the Cotton Bowl semifinal, featuring No. 5 Texas and No. 8 Ohio State, in the CFP title match on Monday, Jan. 20, at 7:30 p.m. ET in Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Atlanta.

The Irish secured their spot for Atlanta thanks to a clutch 41-yard field goal from kicker Mitch Jeter in the final moments of the fourth quarter. This game-winning field goal was made possible by a pivotal interception from Christian Gray, who picked off Penn State quarterback Drew Allar.

Read on for information about who Notre Dame will compete against in the CFP national championship and details on the full CFP schedule:

Who is Notre Dame’s opponent in the CFP national championship?

Following their victory in the Orange Bowl, Notre Dame advances to the national championship on Monday, Jan. 20, in Atlanta.

The Irish won’t know their opponent until late Friday night, as the game between Texas and Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl is yet to be played. This matchup is slated to begin at 7:30 p.m. ET Friday at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

If Texas wins against Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl, it will mark the first encounter between Notre Dame and the Longhorns since 2016, when Texas triumphed over the Irish 50-47 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. Earlier in November, both teams announced plans for a home-and-home series to take place during the 2028 and 2029 seasons.

Conversely, if Ohio State prevails against Texas, it will be the first clash between Notre Dame and the Buckeyes since last year’s notable matchup in South Bend, where Ohio State clinched victory by scoring a touchdown in the fourth quarter. A significant aspect of this potential matchup is Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman facing his former school yet again; Freeman was a two-time All-Big Ten selection at Ohio State and recorded 268 career tackles there.

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College Football Playoff schedule

All times are in Eastern Time

CFP first round

Friday, Dec. 20

• No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 10 Indiana 17

Saturday, Dec. 21

• No. 6 Penn State 38, No. 11 SMU 10
• No. 5 Texas 38, No. 12 Clemson 24
• No. 8 Ohio State 42, No. 9 Tennessee 17

CFP quarterfinals

Tuesday, Dec. 31

• Fiesta Bowl: No. 6 Penn State 31, No. 3 Boise State 14

Wednesday, Jan. 1

• Peach Bowl: No. 5 Texas 39, No. 4 Arizona State 31 (2OT)
• Rose Bowl: No. 8 Ohio State 41, No. 1 Oregon 21

Thursday, Jan. 2

• Sugar Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame 23, No. 2 Georgia 10

CFP semifinal

Thursday, Jan. 9

• Orange Bowl: No. 7 Notre Dame 27, No. 6 Penn State 24

Friday, Jan. 10

• Cotton Bowl: No. 5 Texas vs No. 8 Ohio State | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo, free trial)

CFP championship

Monday, Jan. 20

• CFP championship game: No. 7 Notre Dame vs. Winner of the Cotton Bowl | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN (Fubo, free trial)

Updated CFP 12-team bracket

With Penn State’s defeat on Thursday, they were eliminated from the CFP bracket. Below is the updated CFP bracket reflecting Notre Dame’s victory:

1. Oregon (13-1)
2. Georgia (11-3)
3. Boise State (12-2)
4. Arizona State (11-3)
5. Texas (13-2)
6. Penn State (13-3)
7. Notre Dame (14-1)
8. Ohio State (12-2)
9. Tennessee (10-3)
10. Indiana (11-2)
11. SMU (11-3)
12. Clemson (10-4)