Notre Dame beat Indiana 27-17 Friday night and here’s how that could impact Penn State.
Before anything else, Penn State must beat SMU to stay alive in the College Football Playoff bracket.
But if sixth-seeded Penn State does beat SMU and then takes care of No. 3 Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl Dec. 30, Notre Dame could well be its next opponent.
Notre Dame’s reward for beating IU is a Sugar Bowl date with No. 2 Georgia New Year’s night. But Georgia will be at a significant disadvantage. Its starting QB, Carson Beck, is injured, and the injury is expected to be a season-ender.
Georgia QB Carson Beck is expected to be OUT for the College Football Playoff quarterfinals, per @PeteNakos_ pic.twitter.com/4oMMAAVBOM
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 19, 2024
A RIVALRY REBORN
SOUTH BEND, IN – DECEMBER 20: Notre Dame Fighting Irish football team walks from the Basilica into Notre Dame Stadium before the Indiana Hoosiers play against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on December 20, 2024, during the CFP First Round playoff game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Brian Spurlock/Icon Sportswire)
Once upon a time, Penn State and Notre Dame played every season. It was an annual matchup from 1981-92. Then, Penn State joined the Big Ten and the teams stopped playing each other.
The series briefly came back in 2006 with a two-game home-and-home series. Notre Dame won the first matchup, 41-17 at Notre Dame Stadium.
The teams played in Happy Valley the next season, with Penn State getting a 31-10 win. That game is best-known for being the first full-stadium whiteout in Beaver Stadium history.
NOTRE DAME LOOKED GOOD
SOUTH BEND, IN – OCTOBER 12: The World of Life “Touchdown Jesus” mural overlooks Notre Dame Stadium prior to a college football game between the Stanford Cardinal and Notre Dame Fighting Irish on October 12, 2024 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, IN (Photo by James Black/Icon Sportswire)
As the scoreboard doesn’t fully show, Notre Dame didn’t just beat Indiana, it dominated. Indiana came in averaging 43.3 points per game. It scored 17. Only three of them came before the final two minutes. Notre Dame led 27-3 before two late IU scores that didn’t end up meaning anything.
Penn State and SMU are scheduled to play at noon on TNT and HBO Max from Beaver Stadium.
