Category: Penn State Nittany Lions

What is Penn State coach James Franklin’s all-time bowl record?

See James Franklin’s full coaching history in bowl games.

Penn State head coach James Franklin has a chance to lead his team to the College Football Playoff national championship game on Thursday night, but first the Nittany Lions must defeat Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Here’s a look back at Franklin’s complete history in bowl games through the years.

How long has James Franklin coached at Penn State?

After 15 years of coaching around the country, Franklin landed his first head coaching job in late 2010 at Vanderbilt. Just over three years later, on January 11, 2014, Franklin was announced as Penn State’s new head coach.

James Franklin’s bowl record

Franklin is 8-6 in bowl games as a head coach overall, and 6-5 at Penn State.  Franklin’s teams have played in a bowl game in every season except the pandemic-affected 2020 year.

James Franklin’s playoff record

Franklin is 2-0 in College Football Playoff games, with both wins coming during the 2024 season.

Franklin’s complete bowl results

2011 (Vanderbilt): Liberty Bowl vs. Cincinnati (L, 31-24)

2012 (Vanderbilt): Music City Bowl vs. NC State (W, 38-24)

2013 (Vanderbilt): BBVA Compass Bowl vs. Houston (W, 41-24)

2014 (Penn State): Pinstripe Bowl vs. Boston College (W, 31-30)

2015 (Penn State): TaxSlayer Bowl vs. Georgia (L, 24-17)

2016 (Penn State): Rose Bowl vs. USC (L, 52-49)

2017 (Penn State): Fiesta Bowl vs. Washington (W, 35-28)

2018 (Penn State): Citrus Bowl vs. Kentucky (L, 27-24)

2019 (Penn State): Cotton Bowl vs. Memphis (W, 53-39)

2021 (Penn State): Outback Bowl vs. Arkansas (L, 24-10)

2022 (Penn State): Rose Bowl vs. Utah (W, 35-21)

2023 (Penn State): Peach Bowl vs. Ole Miss (L, 38-25)

2024 (Penn State): CFP first round vs. SMU (W, 38-10) and Fiesta Bowl vs. Boise State (W, 31-14)

Penn State football schedule: Is Penn State playing today? 

Is Penn State playing today? Here’s a look at the schedule and the games to come. 

Penn State is set for a rare Thursday night kickoff as it continues its mission to bring home a national championship. The Nittany Lions are in the Orange Bowl down in Miami, Florida on Thursday night where they will battle Notre Dame for a spot in the College Football Playoff national championship game later this month.

Penn State has bullied its way into its spot in the Orange Bowl for the College Football Playoff semifinal. Penn State easily took care of ACC runner-up SMU at home in the first round of the playoff and followed that up by pulling away for a double-digit victory over Mountain West Conference champion Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl.

Notre Dame overpowered Indiana in South Bend in the first round of the playoff and is coming off a big win over SEC champion Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. The Irish are a slight favorite in the Orange Bowl, but this should be a good defensive battle in Miami.

Here is a look back at Penn State’s schedule to this date as they prepare for the semifinal round in the Orange Bowl.

Penn State 2024 schedule

  • Aug. 31: at West Virginia (W, 34-12)
  • Sept. 7: Bowling Green (W, 34-27)
  • Sept. 21: Kent State (W, 56-0)
  • Sept. 28: Illinois (W, 21-7)
  • Oct. 5: UCLA (W, 27-11)
  • Oct. 12: at USC (W, 33-30 OT)
  • Oct. 26: at Wisconsin (W, 28-13)
  • Nov. 2: Ohio State (L, 20-13)
  • Nov. 9: Washington (W, 35-6)
  • Nov. 16: at Purdue (W, 49-10)
  • Nov. 23: at Minnesota (W, 26-25)
  • Nov. 30: Maryland (W, 44-7)
  • Dec. 7: Oregon (L, 45-37; Big Ten Championship Game)
  • Dec. 21: vs. SMU (W, 38-10; College Football Playoff First Round)
  • Dec. 31: Boise State (W, 31-14; Fiesta Bowl, CFP Quarterfinal)
  • Jan. 9: Notre Dame (Orange Bowl, CFP Semifinal)
  • Record: 13-2

ESPN offering CFP semifinal MegaCast options for viewing Orange Bowl

Here are all options for watching the Orange Bowl on Thursday night from ESPN.

Penn State and Notre Dame will meet in a postseason game for just the second time in the storied histories of the programs, and the stakes have never been higher in this series. The Orange Bowl in Miami will serve as the site of the first of two College Football Playoff semifinal games, and the winner will advance to the national championship game in Atlanta to play the winner of Friday night’s Cotton Bowl matchup between Ohio State and Texas.

ESPN will provide coverage of the Orange Bowl with one of college football’s best broadcasting duos calling all of the action from Hard Rock Stadium.

Here’s all you need to know about Tuesday’s broadcast:

Who’s calling Penn State vs. Notre Dame?

Sean McDonough and Greg McElroy will call the game from the booth at Hard Rock Stadium. Sideline reporting will be conducted by Molly McGrath and Katie George.

How to watch Penn State vs. Notre Dame game

Thursday’s game will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

ESPN providing alternative MegaCast broadcast options

In addition to the main broadcast on ESPN, the network will provide additional broadcast options to choose. ESPN2 will air open live commentary from Pat McAfee and the crew of The Pat McAfee Show including AJ Hawk, Darius Butler, Connor Campbell, Ty Schmit, and Tone Digs.

ESPNU will air its Command Center broadcast showcasing multiple views simultaneously with live stats. ESPNEWS will air a SkyCam view with a camera flying behind the offense on most plays.

An All-22 viewing experience will be available on the ESPN app.

Can I livestream Penn State vs. Notre Dame?

You bet you can! The ORange Bowl will stream on ESPN’s streaming platform, ESPN+. You can setup your account using the link below.

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Penn State vs Notre Dame live on ESPN+” link=”https://go.web.plus.espn.com/Vmrv2O”]

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Penn State football tickets: Latest prices for CFP semifinal vs. Notre Dame

See the latest ticket prices for Penn State’s College Football Playoff semifinal game against Notre Dame.

The Nittany Lions are one of four teams remaining in the first-ever 12-team College Football playoff, and Penn State will return to the field for the semifinal round on Thursday night against Notre Dame.

Thursday’s game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Tickets for the game are already available. At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the College Football Playoff first-round matchup between Penn State and Notre Dame cost $203.

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The winner of Thursday’s game will move on to the national championship game against either Ohio State or Texas. The title game will be played on January 20th in Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

Get your Penn State vs. Notre Dame CFP tickets now before they sell out.

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What time is Penn State vs. Notre Dame kickoff? CFP semifinal game info

When and where will Penn State’s College Football Playoff against Notre Dame be played?

For just the second time in series history, Penn State and Notre Dame are set to collide in a postseason bowl game. And the stakes could not be much higher this time around. Penn State and Notre Dame will meet in the semifinal of the College Football Playoff, which will be played in the Orange Bowl next week. Penn State has a pretty good track record in the Orange Bowl as a program, although it has been a while since the Nittany Lions got to play in the game.

Here are some of the details you need to know about Penn State’s next game on its quest for a national championship.

Penn State vs. Notre Dame in CFP game date

Penn State and Notre Dame will meet in the Orange Bowl on Thursday, January 9, 2025.

Penn State will get the benefit of extra rest preparing for the game after playing its quarterfinal round game on New Years Eve (Dec. 31, 2024). Notre Dame had to wait an extra day before playing in the Super Bowl due to the New Years Day tragedy in New Orleans.

What time does Penn State play Notre Dame in CFP?

The College Football Playoff semifinal games will each start at 7:30 p.m. ET. The Orange Bowl is played one day prior to the Cotton Bowl (between Texas and Ohio State).

Where is Penn State vs. Notre Dame?

The Orange Bowl will be played in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Hard Rock Stadium is the home of the NFL’s Miami Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes of the ACC. This will be Penn State’s second game played in the stadium, with the most recent game being the 2006 Orange Bowl, a triple-overtime thriller against Florida State.

Penn State vs. Notre Dame odds

Penn State opens as the initial underdog in the Orange Bowl, although the line is a close one. Notre Dame opened as a 1.5-point favorite according to various betting outlets moments after Notre Dame close out Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

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Who does Penn State play next in CFP? What to know about Notre Dame

The Orange Bowl will get a terrific matchup between Penn State and Notre Dame in the semifinal round of the CFP.

Penn State is heading to the Orange Bowl with a chance to play for a College Football Playoff national championship game on the line. The Nittany Lions are about to face their stiffest challenge yet in this year’s expanded College Football Playoff format, and a team that is similar to Penn State in a number of ways. This one should be good.

Here is a quick brief on what you need to know about what’s next for the Nittany Lions.

Who will Penn State play next in the College Football Playoff?

Penn State opened the College Football Playoff with a win at home against ACC runner-up SMU. The Nittany Lions then played in the Fiesta Bowl against Mountain West Conference champion Boise State, one of the four highest-ranked conference champions receiving a bye in the first round. Penn State’s victory over the Broncos punched a ticket to the Orange Bowl, where they will face Notre Dame.

Notre Dame opened the playoff with a home win against Indiana and then defeated SEC champion Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.

Both Penn State and Notre Dame were 11-1 in the regular season. Penn State is now 13-2 and the Irish will head to the Orange Bowl with a record of 13-1.

Opening Penn State vs. Notre Dame odds

The opening line for the Orange Bowl matchup gives Notre Dame a slight edge. Early lines show Notre Dame as a 1.5-point favorite. Penn State has only been an underdog twice this season, and they lost both of those games (against Ohio State in the regular season and Oregon in the Big Ten championship game).

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When does Penn State play Notre Dame in CFP?

Penn State and Notre Dame will meet in the Orange Bowl in Miami Gardens, Florida. The game is the first semifinal game of the next round and will be played on Thursday, January 9, 2025. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will air on ESPN, with additional broadcast options expected to be available for alternate viewing experiences.

Remaining College Football Playoff schedule

  • Semifinal, Orange Bowl: No. 6 Penn State vs. No. 7 Notre Dame
    Thursday, January 9, 2025
    7:30 p.m., ESPN
  • Semifinal, Cotton Bowl: No. 5 Texas vs. No. 8 Ohio State
    Friday, January 10, 2025
    7:30 p.m., ESPN
  • National Championship Game
    Monday, January 20, 2025
    7:30 p.m., ESPN

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Abdul Carter injury vs Boise State: Latest news on Penn State defensive end

Penn State edge Abdul Carter is dealing with an apparent arm injury. Here are the latest updates.

Oen of Penn State’s top players has left the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State with an apparent arm injury. Defensive end [autotag]Abdul Carter[/autotag] left the College Football Playoff quarterfinal game with an arm injury in the second quarter in Glendale, Arizona. His status is unknown for the remainder of the game at this time.

Abdul Carter injury update

Abdul Carter spent the majority of Boise State’s second quarter touchdown drive in the medical tent. He was seen riding the stationary bike later in the quarter although he did not return to the game.

Second half starts without Carter on the field

Penn State started the second half on offense but when the defense came on the field for the first time, there was still no sight of Carter on the edge.

Things seemed to change with some momentum once Carter left the game, but the defense held Boise State to just one score in the first half and helped take a 17-7 lead into the halftime break.

Depth Chart

Redshirt senior Smith Vilbert has been the top backup to Carter this season and would be the most likely next man up at the position in place of Carter for as long as necessary.

Penn State freshman Jaylen Harvey would be the next best option, but Penn State hopes to not have to come to that at this point in the season.

Who’s calling the Penn State vs. Boise State game? Announcers for CFP quarterfinal game

Here’s who’s calling Tuesday’s Fiesta Bowl between Penn State and Boise State in the College Football Playoff.

A trip to the College Football Playoff semifinal in the Orange Bowl is on the line for the Penn State Nittany Lions and Boise State Broncos on Tuesday evening in the Fiesta Bowl, the site of the first quarterfinal game in the College Football Playoff. It also serves as the final college football game of 2024 before flipping the calendars over to 2025. Penn State and Boise State each have undefeated records in the Fiesta Bowl, so something will have to give in Glendale, Arizona on Tuesday evening.

Here’s all you need to know about Tuesday’s broadcast:

Who’s calling Penn State vs. Boise State?

Bob Wischusen and Louis Reddick will call the game from the booth at State Farm Stadium, with Kris Budden reporting from the sidelines.

How to watch Penn State vs. Boise State game

Saturday’s game will begin at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Can I livestream Penn State vs. Boise State?

Streaming options for the game include Sling:

[afflinkbutton text=”Watch Penn State vs. SMU live on SlingTV” link=”https://sling-tv.pxf.io/PyLvRQ”]

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What time is Penn State vs. Boise State kickoff? CFP quarterfinal game info

What time is the kickoff for Penn State’s Fiesta Bowl matchup with Boise State?

Penn State and Boise State each have an undefeated record in the Fiesta Bowl, but something will have to give on New Year’s Eve. The Nittany Lions and Broncos face off for the first time in the Fiesta Bowl with a spot in the College Football Playoff semifinal on the line. Penn State is fresh off a blowout of SMU in the first round of the playoff while Boise State earned one of the four byes in the first round as one of the four highest-ranked conference champions.

Penn State comes in as a favorite river the Mountain West Conference champions, but Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty and the Broncos are embracing the underdog role and look to give Abdul Carter and Tyler Warren and the rest of the Nittany Lions a real scare.

Here is what you need to know to catch all of the action before ringing in the new year. The Fiesta Bowl will be the first game of the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff.

Penn State vs. Boise State in CFP game date

When: Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024

The Fiesta Bowl is scheduled for Tuesday, December 31, 2024. The Fiesta Bowl is the fifth bowl game of the day and wraps up the postseason action while serving as the start of the quarterfinal round of the College Football Playoff.

What time Penn State plays Boise State in CFP

Kickoff: 7:30 p.m. ET

Penn State and Boise State are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff, which should leave enough time to wrap up the postgame festivities and still watch the ball in Times Square drop at the stroke of midnight.

Where is Penn State vs. Boise State?

The Fiesta Bowl will be played in State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The home of the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals has been the home of the Fiesta Bowl since 2007. This is Penn State’s second trip to the Fiesta Bowl in its current site since moving from Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe. Penn State previously faced Washington in the Fiesta Bowl in 2017.

Boise State is making its fourth appearance in the Fiesta Bowl, all of which have been played in State Farm Stadium. Boise State played in the first Fiesta Bowl in the stadium with its legendary victory over Oklahoma in 2017.

Penn State vs. Boise State predictions

Penn State is the favorite for the Fiesta Bowl, and the staff of Nittany Lions Wire is feeling confident in Penn State’s chances. You can see our final score predictions and look for the updated game-day betting line to see what the latest odds are saying.

Penn State’s CFP opponent in the Fiesta Bowl? Here’s a full Boise State scouting report

Who does Penn State play in the CFP quarterfinals at the Fiesta Bowl? Here’s a full breakdown

Penn State demolished SMU at Beaver Stadium on Saturday afternoon 38-10 to earn a berth into the College Football Playoff quarterfinals. The Nittany Lions’ defense was in elite form, forcing three SMU turnovers to propel them to the lopsided victory.

After a blowout win in the opening round of the CFP, Penn State is in a prime position to continue its push to a national championship. The team will have a holiday break before preparing for a quarterfinal matchup.

Penn State will head to Arizona for the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve. It will be the Nittany Lions’ eighth appearance in the Fiesta Bowl and first since 2017.

Who will Penn State play in the Fiesta Bowl?

Penn State will play the Mountain West Champion, the Boise State Broncos, in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Penn State vs. Boise State predictions

The biggest matchup within the matchup will be Penn State’s run defense versus Boise State running back and Heisman Trophy runner-up Ashton Jeanty. Jeanty was the best running back in college football this season and is 132 yards away from breaking Barry Sanders’ single-season rushing yardage record. Needless to say, Penn State’s run defense will have to be on the top of their game.

On the other side of the ball, Penn State’s offense should be licking its chops to come up against a Broncos’ defense that allows 362 yards per game. Drew Allar and the Nittany Lions passing attack will have to attack a vulnerable defense that gives up 246 passing yards per game.

When does TEAM1 play TEAM2 in CFP?

Penn State will take on Boise State on Tuesday, Dec. 31, at 7:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona. The game will be televised on ESPN.

CFP schedule

Quarterfinals

  • Fiesta Bowl: No. 3 Boise State vs. Penn State
  • Peach Bowl: No. 4 Arizona State vs. Texas or Clemson
  • Sugar Bowl: No. 2 Georgia vs. Notre Dame
  • Rose Bowl: No. 1 Oregon vs. Ohio State or Tennessee

Semifinals (Jan. 9-10)

  • Orange Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 9 on ESPN
  • Cotton Bowl: 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 10  on ESPN

CFP National Championship

  • 7:30 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20 on ESPN

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