The calendar tells us that the four seasons are equal in length. But we know better, don’t we? We know that winter is the longest, no matter the actual number of days. But fret not, friends. College basketball is here to keep us entertained when it’s coldest outside.

OK, truth be told some of the top teams in men’s hoops this season come from schools located in warmer latitudes, but you can still catch them on TV even if it’s frigid where you are. To that end, we present this edition of the Starting Five, in which we rank what we think will be the best games to watch over the weekend. We begin with a pair of clashes in the SEC, followed by a look-in on the most recent NCAA tournament finalists.

No. 5 Alabama at No. 9 Texas A&M

Time/TV: Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN

Both of these contenders are off to 2-0 starts in league play after challenging non-conference slates. The Crimson Tide took care of business on the road at South Carolina in their most recent outing, while the Aggies had to work considerably harder on Wednesday in a comeback victory at Oklahoma. A career night from Zhuric Phelps helped A&M overcome the absence of leading scorer Wade Taylor IV, whose status remains uncertain due to an undisclosed injury. But the bigger test for the Aggies will be on the defensive end, where Alabama has a slew of scoring options and loves to push the pace. If lead guard Mark Sears can get his three-point shooting back to his accustomed 40% clip, the Tide will be even more dangerous moving forward.

No. 7 Kentucky at No. 13 Mississippi State

Time/TV: Saturday, 8:30 p.m. ET, SECN

Year one under Mark Pope in Lexington has gone fairly well, though the Wildcats got a dose of SEC reality when their huge home victory against Florida was followed by a road loss at Georgia. The league’s other Bulldogs, riding an eight-game winning streak, now get their shot at Kentucky on their home floor in Starkville. Both teams get the bulk of their scoring from the backcourt, but that doesn’t necessarily mean overreliance on knocking down treys. Josh Hubbard (17.1 ppg) is the usual catalyst for the Bulldogs, while the Wildcats have a steady hand at the point in veteran Lamont Butler.

No. 10 Connecticut at Georgetown

Time/TV: Saturday, 2 p.m. ET, Fox

The two-time defending champion Huskies had seemingly righted the ship after their terrible showing in Maui the week of Thanksgiving, but their eight-game winning streak came to an end Wednesday night at Villanova. They now face a Hoyas’ squad equally in need of a validating win after nearly toppling Marquette earlier in the week. UConn will again likely be without standout freshman Liam McNeeley (ankle), so the Huskies will need Solo Ball to continue his solid production to help veteran forward Alex Karaban. Georgetown has made strides in Ed Cooley’s second year at the helm, having already exceeded last season’s Big East win total. His roster makeover includes a solid freshman class led by forward Thomas Sorber and impact transfers like Jayden Epps (Illinois) and Malik Mack (Harvard).

Nebraska at No. 19 Purdue

Time/TV: Sunday, noon ET, BTN

The headliner of the Sunday slate takes us to Mackey Arena, where the Boilermakers have not lost this season. But while Purdue has a lot of returning pieces from the squad that played for the title last March, the approach is noticeably different without Zach Edey around to dominate the post. Trey Kaufman-Renn is a good producer on the interior, but on the whole points can be hard to come by for Purdue when the triples aren’t falling. The Cornhuskers, aside from an ugly blowout at Michigan State, have been in every game but could use a significant road result to solidify their resume. Brice Williams, a good shooter and decision-maker, is the main guy the Boilermakers must account for at all times.

Boise State at No. 25 Utah State

Time/TV: Saturday, 9:30 p.m. ET, CBSSN

Utah State had to hire a new coach for the fourth time in seven years but somehow still keeps on winning. The latest man in charge is Jerrod Calhoun, who has the Aggies back in the top 25 and off to a 5-0 start in the Mountain West. There’s been no such turnover at Boise, where Leon Rice has led the program since 2010, though the Broncos are still trying to break through in March Madness. A couple of key holdovers, guards Mason Falslev and Ian Martinez, have eased the transition at Utah State. The Broncos can also put a veteran lineup on the floor, with point guard Alvaro Cardenas transferring in from San Jose State to join program mainstay Tyson Degenhart.

For what it’s worth, Texas is the lone team still standing that was in the semifinals a year ago. The Longhorns handled Clemson and Arizona State to get here with far different degrees of drama, but they enter this contest as underdogs despite holding the higher seed and playing closer to home. The main reason for that, of course, is the high level of execution Ohio State has demonstrated in demolitions of Tennessee and Oregon, results that left observers wondering just how this team managed to lose two games in the regular season.

Here’s how they match up.

Cotton Bowl – No. 5 Texas vs. No. 8 Ohio State

Time/TV/Location: 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, Arlington, Texas.

Why watch: You might see more flashy plays in this one, with both teams averaging in excess of 34 points a game. The Buckeyes, however, might have the edge in offensive fire power. The operation begins with the conductor, QB Will Howard, who might have the ultimate weapon at his disposal in the person of WR Jeremiah Smith. It’s also nice to have the backfield platoon of RBs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins, who have combined for 1,849 yards and 20 TDs on the ground. LB Anthony Hill Jr. is the unquestioned leader of the Longhorns’ defense, but he’s going to need help from guys like DL Colin Simmons and DB Michael Taaffe to keep all of Ohio State’s playmakers in check. Longhorns QB Quinn Ewers started fast and made two clutch throws in overtime against the Sun Devils but was inconsistent in between. The good news is WR Matthew Golden has emerged as a reliable deep threat to complement go-to TE Gunnar Helm, and RB Jaydon Blue can make things happen from the backfield. But the Ohio State defense has been just as impressive, particularly on the back end where safeties Sonny Styles and Caleb Downs have had opposing passing attacks on lockdown.

Why it could disappoint: The tentative version of the Buckeyes that couldn’t get out of their own way against Michigan appears to be a distant memory. Given how quickly Ohio State put its last two opponents away, the Longhorns can absolutely positively not afford to be slow out of the gate.

Penn State and Notre Dame fans who packed inside Hard Rock Stadium Thursday night for the Orange Bowl will be cheering passionately for different teams, with a spot in the College Football Playoff championship game on the line.

While they’re wearing different colors and are hoping for drastically different results, they’re apparently united by at least one thing: a strong distaste for Urban Meyer.

In the hour leading up to kickoff of the playoff semifinal, Meyer, the former Ohio State and Florida coach, was recognized on the field for his recent induction into the Orange Bowl hall of fame.

The assembled crowd wasn’t in a celebratory mood, loudly booing Meyer, who chuckled and waved to the audience.

Meyer and his teams were a persistent roadblock to Penn State during his seven seasons at Ohio State, going 6-1 against the Nittany Lions from 2012-18, including Buckeye victories in 2017 and 2018 in which both teams were ranked in the top 10 at the time of the matchups.

Unlike Penn State, Meyer actually has connections to Notre Dame, having served as the Fighting Irish’s wide receivers coach from 1996-2000 under Lou Holtz and Bob Davie. Meyer, who is Catholic, repeatedly referred to Notre Dame as his dream job, including in 2008 while he was coaching a Florida team that went on to win that season’s national championship. 

He had the opportunity to be the Irish coach after the 2004 season, but opted instead to accept the job at Florida, where he won two national championships.

Meyer faced off against Notre Dame just once in his head-coaching career, a 44-28 Ohio State victory in the Fiesta Bowl in 2016.

Meyer’s unpopularity among segments of college football fans goes beyond on-field results.

While outrageously successful, players on his Florida teams regularly got into legal trouble. He was placed on administrative leave at Ohio State in 2018 as the school conducted an investigation into claims that people close to Meyer knew of a domestic violence allegation against his former wide receivers coach, Zach Smith. Meyer ultimately retired after that season. Most recently, he had an ill-fated 13-game tenure with the Jacksonville Jaguars marred by a series of incidents, including alleged verbal and physical abuse of players and coaches.

The final moments leading up to ESPN’s broadcast of the Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame came with a scare.

While making his long-standing helmet pick for the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup between the Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish, “GameDay” analyst Lee Corso nearly fell backwards to the ground in front of the show’s desk while doing a jig to show he was predicting a Notre Dame victory.

The 89-year-old Corso, who was dressed as a leprechaun, was thankfully caught by the Notre Dame mascot he was dancing alongside before he hit the ground.

Corso has traditionally done the jig with the Notre Dame mascot when picking the Fighting Irish, including earlier this season, when he correctly predicted Notre Dame would beat Texas A&M in a Week 1 matchup.

Corso has been a mainstay of ESPN’s college football coverage since joining the network in the late 1980s, with his colorful personality and memorable catchphrases helping make “GameDay” one of the most popular and awarded pregame shows in broadcast history.

His role on the program has been reduced in recent years, with Corso sometimes unable to make the trip for the show certain weeks.

The Los Angeles Rams are attempting to focus on a playoff game amid multiple deadly wildfires that have scorched the Los Angeles area.

At least five fires were active in Los Angeles County, devastating more than 40 square miles across the region, according to Cal Fire. Tens of thousands of Los Angeles County residents have been forced to evacuate their homes.

Rams coach Sean McVay said Thursday some members in the organization have been impacted by the fires, including a couple staff members who had their homes affected.

“My thoughts and prayers are with everybody that’s been affected by these fires,” McVay said. “It’s one of those deals that almost doesn’t feel real, but it certainly is real to the people that are affected. Praying that as many people are okay. You just see the amount of people that are affected, it’s one of those deals that, you know, it gives you perspective. So hopefully get this stuff under control. It’s been a unique week. Unfortunately for us, there’s been some people that have been affected — in regards to power outages (and) recommended evacuation. A couple of our staff members did have their homes affected. But fortunately, to my knowledge, nobody has been injured and you know for that we’re grateful.”

A few hours after McVay spoke to reporters, the NFL officially moved the Rams’ wild-card playoff game versus the Minnesota Vikings to Glendale, Arizona.

NFL STATS CENTRAL: The latest NFL scores, schedules, odds, stats and more.

‘In the interest of public safety, Monday’s Vikings-Rams Wild Card game has been moved from SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA to State Farm Stadium, the home of the Arizona Cardinals, the NFL announced today,’ the NFL said in a statement. ‘The decision was made in consultation with public officials, the participating clubs and the NFLPA.’

NFL BRACKET: Complete 2025 playoff schedule and odds for this weekend’s games

Before the NFL’s announcement, the Rams were operating under the assumption the playoff game will would place at Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium. However, the team had to cancel post-practice media availability to let players get home as new wildfire broke out in West Hills, which is near the team’s practice facility in Woodland Hills.

‘Every time we suit up, we’re the Los Angeles Rams. We play for the people in this community, the people that support us, and this week will be another example of that,” Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “Hopefully it’ll be a great escape for people who’ve been going through a lot of tough times here the last couple days.”

Glendale’s State Farm Stadium is approximately 385 miles from Inglewood’s SoFi Stadium.

The Los Angeles Chargers adjusted their practice schedule this week to limit outdoor exposure for players and staff ahead of their road playoff contest versus the Houston Texans. Chargers offensive coordinator Greg Roman told reporters Wednesday that Chargers wide receivers coach Sanjay Lal had an ‘intense night’ as his Calabasas home was impacted by the fires.

On Wednesday, the Los Angeles Kings postponed their hockey game versus the Calgary Flames. On Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers postponed their game against the Charlotte Hornets. According to reports, Lakers head coach JJ Redick lost his home in the raging wildfires that have impacted the Los Angeles area.

(This story was updated to add new information.)

The Notre Dame football team is back in the national championship game.

The No. 7 Fighting Irish knocked off No. 6 Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl Thursday on a game-winning field goal by kicker Mitch Jeter with 7 seconds remaining. The College Football Playoff semifinal victory at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami sends Notre Dame to Atlanta, where it will play either No. 8 Ohio State or No. 5 Texas in the title game on Jan. 20.

Notre Dame is searching for its 12th national championship, but first since 1988. Texas and Ohio State meet in the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, on Friday.

Notre Dame won its first CFP semifinal game after losing in its first two appearances. The Fighting Irish last played in the national championship in 2013.

Sophomore cornerback Christian Gray set up Notre Dame’s game-winning drive when he intercepted a pass from Penn State’s Drew Allar with 33 seconds remaining on the Penn State 42-yard line. Riley Leonard and the offense drove down to the Penn State 24-yard line to set up the game-winning field goal.

The Fighting Irish won after trailing 10-0 in the first half and 10-3 at halftime. Notre Dame scored 17 straight points before the Nittany Lions responded with 14 points to retake the lead. A 54-yard pass from Leonard to Jaden Greathouse tied the game at 24. Leonard finished with 223 passing yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, while Greathouse had seven catches for 105 yards and a score.

Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton finished with 15 rushes for 84 yards and three touchdowns. The Nittany Lions attempted a couple of lateral passes near the end of the game to try and score, but Allar’s errant out-of-bounds lateral ended the game.

Here are updates and highlights of Thursday’s CFP semifinal game between No. 7 Notre Dame and No. 6 Penn State:

Notre Dame vs. Penn State highlights

Orange Bowl score highlights

This section will be updated when the game begins.

Final: Notre Dame 27, Penn State 24

Notre Dame-Penn State final stats

Here’s a look at the quarterback comparison: 

Riley Leonard: 15 of 23 passing, 223 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions; Steve Angeli 6 of 7 passing, 44 yards
Drew Allar: 12 of 23 passing, 135 yards, one interception

Some stats of notes:

Total yards: ND 383, PSU 343
Rushing yards: ND 116, PSU 204
Passing yards: ND 267, PSU 139
First downs: ND 23, PSU 20
Time of possession: ND 30:04, PSU 29:49 
Penalties: ND 4-31, PSU 5-44
Turnovers (points off turnovers): ND 2 (10), PSU 1 (3)

Notre Dame headed to national championship following 27-24 win over Penn State

Notre Dame knocks off Penn State 27-24 to head to the national championship on Jan. 20 vs. the winner of Ohio State-Texas. The Fighting Irish will be going for their 12th national championship in program history.

Mitch Jeter hits go-ahead field goal for Notre Dame

Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter connects on a 41-yard field goal with eight seconds remaining to give the Fighting Irish a 27-24 lead.

According to the ESPN broadcast, kickers had been 0-for-4 in previous game-winning kick attempts in the CFP.

Christian Gray intercepts Drew Allar

Christian Gray intercepts Drew Allar at the Penn State 42-yard line on a pass intended for Omari Evans. The Fighting Irish will have 33 seconds and all three timeouts for a chance at a game-winning field goal.

The play is under review, but should be confirmed as an interception.

Coziah Izzard sacks Riley Leonard to force punt

Coziah Izzard got to Leonard Riley for a sack, forcing Notre Dame to punt it away with 52 seconds left.

Penn State will start at its own 15-yard line with 47 seconds left and two timeouts remaining.

Notre Dame forces three-and-out

Notre Dame will start on its own 24 after forcing a three-and-out on the Penn State drive. Bryce Young and Drayk Bowen stuffed Drew Allar on a scramble to force the punt. The Fighting Irish have the ball with 2:34 left.

Riley Leonard connects with Jaden Greathouse to tie Orange Bowl

Riley Leonard and Jaden Greathouse connect for a 54-yard touchdown to even the game at 24-24 with 4:38 remaining. Greathouse got wide open after Penn State’s Jaylen Reed appeared to slip in coverage.

The Notre Dame scoring drive goes seven plays for 81 yards and takes 3:11 off the clock. Greathouse has six catches for 95 yards and the touchdown.

Nicholas Singleton scores third TD of Orange Bowl

Nicholas Singleton ends a second straight drive with a 7-yard touchdown to give Penn State a 24-17 lead with 7:55 remaining. It’s Singelton’s third touchdown of the evening. The Nittany Lions were aided by a defensive pass interference on an interception to move the ball inside the 10-yard line.

The drive began on the Notre Dame 39-yard line following defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton picking off Riley Leonard on the preceding Notre Dame drive. The drive is five plays for 39 yards and takes 2:20 off the clock.

Dani Dennis-Sutton picks off Riley Leonard

On the first play following the scoring drive for Penn State, defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton intercepts a pass from Riley Leonard to give the Nittany Lions the ball at the Notre Dame 39-yard line. It was Leonard’s second interception of the game.

Nicholas Singleton, Penn State respond to tie Orange Bowl

Nicholas Singleton punches in the ball from 7 yards out to even the Orange Bowl with 10:20 left in the game. Quarterback Drew Allar completed all three of his passes for 48 yards on the drive to set up the score.

The drive goes seven plays for 75 yards in 3:47 game time. Of note, tight end Tyler Warren left the game following a hit on the sideline after a 27-yard gain to open the drive. He, however, returned to the game.

Jeremiyah Love gives Notre Dame first lead of Orange Bowl

Jeremiyah Love powers his way into the end zone, breaking a couple of tackles on the way for a 2-yard touchdown to give Notre Dame its first lead of the game at 17-10 with 14:07 remaining in the game.

The drive goes 10 plays for 72 yards and takes 5:19 off the game clock. Love has scored in 14 of the 15 games this season for the Fighting Irish.

End of third quarter: Penn State 10, Notre Dame 10

Notre Dame driving to begin fourth quarter

Following a great catch by receiver Jaden Greathouse on a third-and-9, Notre Dame is into Penn State territory to open the fourth quarter. Greathouse made a leaping grab on a throw from Riley Leonard to convert a key third down.

The Fighting Irish will face a third-and-2 from the Penn State 35-yard line to start the final quarter in a 10-10 game.

Notre Dame forces three-and-out on first Penn State drive

Notre Dame’s defense responded to a touchdown drive from the offense by forcing a three-and-out on the Penn State offense. Christian Gray tackled Kaytron Allen for no gain on a third-and-2 to force the punt.

Notre Dame will begin its second drive of the second half from its own 30-yard line.

Riley Leonard, Notre Dame even Orange Bowl in third quarter

Returning from an injury on the final drive of the first half, Riley Leonard caps off a touchdown drive for Notre Dame with a 3-yard rushing touchdown to even the score at 10-10 with 10:46 left in the third quarter.

The scoring drive lasted eight plays and 75 yards, taking 4:14 off the game clock for the Fighting Irish. Jeremiyah Love had 24 rushing yards on the drive, while Aneyas Williams had 15 yards rushing and 36 rushing.

Riley Leonard back on field for second half for Notre Dame

Following a touchback on the opening kickoff for the second half, quarterback Riley Leonard is on the field for Notre Dame after he was tested for a concussion and deemed asymptomatic. He’s back to open the second half.

Halftime: Penn State 10, Notre Dame 3

Notre Dame-Penn State halftime stats

Here’s a look at the quarterback comparison: 

Riley Leonard: 6 of 11 passing, 63 yards; Steve Angeli 6 of 7 passing, 44 yards
Drew Allar: 5 of 13 passing, 53 yards

Some stats of notes:

Total yards: ND 122, PSU 194
Rushing yards: ND 15, PSU 141
Passing yards: ND 107, PSU 53
First downs: ND 8, PSU 12
Time of possession: ND 12:47, PSU 17:13 
Penalties: ND 2-11, PSU 2-10
Turnovers (points off turnovers): ND 1 (3), PSU 0 (0)

Steve Angeli leads Notre Dame to scoring drive to end first half

Following the injury to Riley Leonard, backup QB Steve Angeli leads Notre Dame to a field goal to end the first half. Mitch Jeter hits a 41-yard field goal to cut the lead to 10-3 at halftime. Notre Dame goes 13 plays for 52 yards in the final 2:18 to cut the lead to a touchdown.

Marcus Freeman did not have an update on Leonard going into halftime.

Riley Leonard heads to injury tent

Notre Dame starting quarterback Riley Leonard heads to the injury tent with a potential injury following a hit on an incomplete pass. Backup Steve Angeli is in the game for the Fighting Irish.

Lee Corso nearly falls while doing a jig

The final moments leading up to ESPN’s broadcast of the Orange Bowl between Penn State and Notre Dame came with a scare.

While making his long-standing helmet pick for the College Football Playoff semifinal matchup between the Nittany Lions and Fighting Irish, “GameDay” analyst Lee Corso nearly fell backwards to the ground in front of the show’s desk while doing a jig to show he was predicting a Notre Dame victory.

The 89-year-old Corso, who was dressed as a leprechaun, was caught by the Notre Dame mascot he was dancing alongside before he hit the ground.

-Craig Meyer

Nicholas Singleton scores to put Penn State up 10-0

Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton is in for a 5-yard touchdown to push the Penn State lead to 10-0 with 2:18 left in the first half. The Nittany Lions go 15 plays for 90 yards on the drive, taking over seven minutes off the clock with a dominant rushing attack.

Tight end Tyler Warren provided a spark for the offense with two rushes for 21 yards while lining up as the quarterback and a fourth-down reception on the drive. Penn State already has 141 rushing yards.

Penn State strikes first with field goal

The Nittany Lions strike first on a 20-yard field goal from Ryan Barker. Nicholas Singleton drops a low throw from Drew Allar, which would have resulted in a Penn State touchdown.

The scoring drive goes 14 plays for 55 yards and takes 10:09 off the game clock.

End of first quarter: Penn State 0, Notre Dame 0

Notre Dame-Penn State play scoreless first quarter in Orange Bowl

The first quarter ends without a score, but Penn State will have a third-and-goal from the Notre Dame 3-yard line when the second quarter begins.

Zakee Wheatley picks off Riley Leonard

Facing a third-and-15 from his own 15-yard line, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard tries to force a throw into the secondary and Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley intercepts it. Penn State will begin its third drive from its own 42-yard line. Nittany Lion star edge Abdul Carter’s pressure forced the errant throw.

Notre Dame first drive ends in punts 

Despite a big catch on a back shoulder throw from Riley Leonard to tight end Mitchell Evans, Notre Dame’s first drive stalls at the Penn State 41-yard line following back-to-back incomplete passes to Evans. AJ Harris makes the third-down pass breakup for Penn State.

Zion Tracy fair catches the ball at the 2-yard line. The Nittany Lions begin their second drive backed up.

Penn State punts away on first possession

Penn State’s Nicholas Singleton provides a big play to help get the Nittany Lions into Notre Dame territory, but a false start helped stall the opening drive of the Orange Bowl semifinal. They punt from the Irish 44-yard line, and Notre Dame begins its first drive on its own 11-yard line.

Notre Dame wins the toss, Penn State with ball first

Notre Dame won the toss and deferred to the second half. Penn State will receive the opening kickoff.

Pregame

ESPN ‘College Gameday’ picks

Here’s who ESPN’s ‘College Gameday’ picked to win tonight’s CFP Orange Bowl semifinal:

Desmond Howard: Penn State
Nick Saban: Notre Dame
Pat McAfee: Penn State
Lee Corso: Notre Dame
Kirk Herbstreit: Notre Dame

Former Penn State stars LaVar Arrington, Micah Parsons at Orange Bowl

Former Penn State football stars LaVar Arrington and Micah Parsons are in attendance for tonight’s Orange Bowl. Parsons currently plays for the Dallas Cowboys.

Abdul Carter’s shoulder heavily wrapped, expected to play

Notre Dame edge Abdul Carter is expected to play tonight, but his shoulder is heavily wrapped. Carter could be used situationally tonight, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.

Officials for Orange Bowl

Umpire: Sheldon Davis
Head Line Judge: John Braun
Line Judge: Keith Garmond
Field Judge: Joseph Martinez
Side Judge: JB Garza
Back Judge: Daniel Young
Center Judge: Marvel July

Drew Allar leads Penn State onto the field to warm up

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar leads Penn State onto the field to warm up nearly an hour before the 7:45 p.m. kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium.

Marcus Freeman, James Franklin join ‘GameDay’ to talk Orange Bowl 

Notre Dame football coach Marcus Freeman and Penn State coach James Franklin joined ESPN’s ‘College GameDay’ to preview Thursday’s CFP Orange Bowl semifinal. 

Penn State arrives at Hard Rock Stadium

While Notre Dame players are already warming up, Penn State players just arrived at Hard Rock Stadium for today’s semifinal matchup. The Nittany Lions arrived nearly 30 minutes after the Fighting Irish. 

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love warming up

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is warming up ahead of the Orange Bowl against Penn State. Love is trending toward playing in today’s semifinal but will not be 100% due to a knee sprain.

Orange Bowl time today

Date: Thursday, Jan. 9
Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Fla.)

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

What channel is Orange Bowl today?

TV channel: ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app | Fubo (free trial)
Radio: ESPN Radio

The Fighting Irish’s game against the Nittany Lions will air on ESPN. Sean McDonough (play-by-play) and Greg McElroy (analyst) will be on the call.

Streaming options include the ESPN App and Fubo, the latter of which offers potential subscribers a free trial.

Notre Dame vs Penn State history

Series record: Series tied 9-9-1
Penn State’s last win: 2007 (31-10)
Notre Dame’s last win: 2006 (41-17)

Orange Bowl predictions

Here’s a look at 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 odds

Odds courtesy of BetMGM as of Tuesday, Jan. 7

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

Orange Bowl injury updates

This section will be updated once both teams release injury reports

Orange Bowl weather update

According to The Weather Channel, the high temperature in Miami Gardens on Thursday will be 68 degrees, and the low will be 50 degrees. There is currently a 0% chance of rain.

Penn State football schedule 2024

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)
Record: 13-2 overall, 8-1 in Big Ten play

* Denotes Big Ten game

** Denotes CFP seed

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Notre Dame football schedule 2024

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) *
Record: 13-1

* Denotes CFP seed

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