Adam Silverstein, on a 16-2 run (+1375) on Penn State picks, has revealed his CFP semifinal predictions for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Penn State Nittany Lions in the 2025 Orange Bowl on Thursd

Notre Dame last won a national championship in 1988. Penn State hasn't been crowned champion of college football since 1986. These blue blood programs are two wins away from a title and meet tonight in the Orange Bowl for the first semifinal of the College Football Playoff.

Though the two teams haven't met since 2007, Penn State and Notre Dame share a history that includes a number of notable clashes.

Two more blue blood programs are on the same field today as a historic college football postseason schedule kicks off the first of two semifinal games. Notre Da

Penn State and Notre Dame will square off at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami for a spot in the national title game. If the Nittany Lions win, they’ll face either Ohio State or Texas in the CFP final at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

The Nittany Lions enter the semifinal with two extra days of rest — following the postponement of the Sugar Bowl — that Notre Dame needed even more.

Both ESPN's matchup analytics and the betting odds are favoring Notre Dame. The Notre Dame vs. Penn State football game is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. ET/4:30 p.m. PT start on ESPN on Thursday, Jan. 9. Sean McDonough is expected to do the play-by-play. Greg McElroy is expected to join him in the booth.

Here's a look at the series history between Penn State and Notre Dame heading into their College Football Playoff semifinal matchup.

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