INDIANAPOLIS – Mitch Jeter kicked a 41-yard field goal in the final seconds to lift the Notre Dame Fighting Irish over the Penn State Nittany Lions 27-24 in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Orange Bowl and into the National Championship Game.
The game-winning score was set up by cornerback Christian Gray’s interception of Penn State quarterback Drew Allar at the Nittany Lions’ 42-yardline with 33 seconds to play.
Nittany Lions’ safety Zakee Wheatley made the first big play of the game intercepting Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard. Penn State turned the takeaway into a Ryan Barker 20-yard field goal for a 3-0 lead early in the second quarter.
After a Fighting Irish punt, the Nittany Lions put together a 15-play, 90-yard drive capped by a five-yard touchdown run by running back Nicholas Singleton for a 10-0 advantage.
Desperate for points before the half, Leonard took a big hit from Penn State defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas on an incomplete pass. The senior had to leave to be evaluated in the medical tent for a possible head injury.
Junior back-up Steve Angeli replaced Riley. He completed six out of seven passes and drove the Irish down to the Lions’ 15-yard line. Penn State star defensive end Abdul Carter sacked Angeli late in the half, forcing Notre Dame to settle for a 41-yard Jeter field goal before halftime.
Riley returned at the start of the second half, connecting on a big play to running back Aneyas Williams for 36 yards, then scoring on a three-yard run to tie the game at 10.
The Fighting Irish took their first lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter as running back Jeremiyah Love finished a 10-play, 71-yard drive with a strong two-yard touchdown run.
The Nittany Lions answered right back with a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Singleton scored his second TD of the game on a seven-yard run to tie the game at 17.
Penn State kept the momentum as defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton intercepted Leonard. The Lions then regained the lead, 24-17 as Singleton scored from seven-yards out again for his third touchdown of the game.
Leonard shook off the miscue on the previous possession to hit Jaden Greathouse for a 54-yard touchdown to tie the game for the third time and set-up Gray and Jeter’s late-game heroics.
Notre Dame will play the winner of the Texas-Ohio State Cotton Bowl game in the CFP National Championship on January 20 in Atlanta.
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