By Eddie Pells
Penn State quarterback Drew Allar mentioned he was making an attempt to throw the ball into the bottom. Notre Dame defensive again Christian Grey dove for it anyway and — luck of the Irish — the ball ended up proper in his arms.
A number of seconds later, Grey and Notre Dame discovered themselves with a spot within the nationwide title recreation after a thrill-a-minute 27-24 victory over Penn State on Thursday evening within the Orange Bowl.
Grey’s snag of Allar’s ill-advised go throughout the center on the Nittany Lions 42 with 33 seconds left, arrange a 19-yard drive that ended with Mitch Jeter’s profitable 41-yard subject purpose.
The Irish (14-1), seeded seventh on this, the primary 12-team faculty playoff, can have an opportunity to convey their twelfth title and first since 1988 again beneath the Golden Dome with a recreation Jan. 20 in Atlanta. Their opponent would be the winner Friday evening of the Texas-Ohio State semifinal within the Cotton Bowl.
“Just catch the ball. Just catch the ball,” Grey mentioned about his interception. “That was going through my mind and I knew I was going to make a play.”
Penn State QB was making an attempt to throw it away
Allar defined he noticed his first two choices coated on the play, then wished to throw the ball into the filth. However the throw, beneath stress and throughout his physique, didn’t have sufficient zip on it to achieve both receiver Omari Evans or the bottom earlier than Grey slid in.
“Honestly, I was trying to throw it at his feet,” mentioned the junior quarterback, thought of by some to be a first-round choose if he leaves for the NFL. “I should’ve thrown it away when I saw the first two progressions were not open. I didn’t execute.”
It was essentially the most memorable play of a recreation that was the most effective of what’s been a sleepy few weeks of playoff soccer. It featured three ties, three lead modifications and 31 factors within the fourth quarter alone.
Within the ultimate, Irish coach Marcus Freeman will attempt to develop into the primary Black coach to win the title at school soccer’s highest stage. Freeman, whose mom is South Korean, is also the primary coach of Asian heritage to get this far.
“We found a way to make a play when it mattered the most,” Freeman mentioned. “In my opinion, great teams, great programs, find a way to do that.”
Penn State coach James Franklin fell to 4-20 with the Nittany Lions in opposition to groups ranked within the AP High 10.
“Everyone wants to look at a specific play,” Franklin mentioned. “But there’s probably eight to 12 plays in that game that could have made a difference. I’m not going to call out specific plays or specific players. There are a ton of plays where we could have done better.”
Hit on Leonard shook up the QB and shook up the IrishNotre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard shook off successful late within the second quarter that despatched him to the medical tent to be checked for a concussion. He got here again and led the Irish on 4 scoring drives within the second half, together with the final one.
“He’s a competitor and competitors find a way to win, and that’s what Riley does,” Freeman mentioned. “That’s what this team does.”
Leonard completed with 223 yards passing, together with a key 10-yard dart to Jaden Greathouse to transform third-and-3 on the final drive. Leonard additionally had 35 yards dashing, and handed and ran for a rating every.
With 4:38 left within the recreation, the senior quarterback hit Greathouse for a 54-yard rating to tie it at 24 after a defender slipped.
The sport began gradual (and boring), however Riley’s damage injected life into issues. He led Notre Dame on TD drives of 75 and 72 yards within the third quarter to take a 17-10 lead.
At that time, the enjoyable was simply getting began.
Penn State had its probabilities, and Allar, together with all these Nittany Lions followers, will spend the offseason reliving that final throw — or making an attempt to neglect it.
Penn State compelled a Notre Dame punt and appeared assured of not less than going to time beyond regulation after they took over at their 15 with 33 seconds left.
After a acquire of 13, Allar dropped to go and had stress coming. He threw throughout his physique to the center of the sphere, the place Grey dove for the choose.
A assessment confirmed it was a catch, and the Irish had been onto the subsequent step on a highway that appeared all however inconceivable after they fell 16-14 to Northern Illinois again in September.
Nick Singleton ran for 84 yards and all three Penn State touchdowns. Off beam for a lot of the day, Allar completed 12 for 23 for 135 yards with the interception.
“He’s hurting right now. He should be. We’re all hurting,” Franklin mentioned.
The quarterback didn’t duck questions concerning the play or his position within the loss.
“We didn’t win the game so it wasn’t good enough, it’s plain and simple,” Allar mentioned. “I’ll try to learn from it, do everything in my power to get better and just grow from it.”
Chilly Orange BowlThe kickoff temperature was 56 levels, unseasonably cool for South Florida — and making it the second-coldest Orange Bowl ever, subsequent to the Georgia Tech-Iowa recreation in 2010 that began at 49 and felt just like the higher 30s.
Meyer, Leinart booedEvidently, Notre Dame and Penn State followers nonetheless don’t like former USC quarterback Matt Leinart and former Ohio State and Florida coach City Meyer.
They had been launched earlier than the sport as new members of the Orange Bowl Corridor of Fame and had been roundly booed — Meyer getting the worst of it.
Additionally launched as a Corridor of Famer: former Miami lineman Vince Wilfork, whose reception was far hotter.
Up nextNotre Dame will face both Ohio State or Texas within the CFP nationwide championship recreation on Jan. 20. Penn State opens its 2025 season at residence in opposition to Nevada on Aug. 30.
