Solely 4 groups are left standing after an unbelievable 2024 faculty soccer season. This was the primary yr of the expanded 12-team playoffs. That meant extra significant video games late within the season that wouldn’t have mattered prior to now. On Thursday night time, the primary of the 2 nationwide semi-finals can be performed.
The #7 Notre Dame Preventing Irish will face the #6 Penn State Nittany Lions within the Orange Bowl. That is going to be a bodily soccer recreation between Notre Dame and Penn State. Each groups have elite defenses and may run the soccer with unbelievable success. Notre Dame is favored (-1) to win the sport through odds from BetOnline. They took down Georgia within the quarter-finals and Penn State has performed two lighter opponents to start out the postseason. Therefore the explanation why the Preventing Irish are favored barely even when the Nittany Lions are the upper seed general. Tune into the sport tonight at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.
Be aware: Odds through BetOnline. Correct as of Jan. 9, 2025
Will Notre Dame or Penn State advance to the Nationwide Championship?
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— Capital One Orange Bowl (@OrangeBowl) January 9, 2025
#7 Notre Dame (-1) (-121 ML)
Of their second recreation of the 2024 season, Notre Dame misplaced 16-14 at residence to Northern Illinois. Since then, the Preventing Irish have received 12 straight and are within the nationwide semi-final on Thursday night time. Marcus Freeman and his crew have confronted Indiana and Georgia to get so far. Notre Dame was one among 4 groups to host a house playoff recreation for the primary time they usually took full benefit of that chance. Regardless of the rating being 27-17 vs. Indiana, the sport was by no means significantly shut. The Hoosiers scored rubbish time factors to make the rating look nearer than it was.
Notre Dame’s quarter-final matchup was vs. Kirby Sensible and the Georgia Bulldogs. The Irish received that recreation 23-10 they usually took down one of many prime applications within the nation. Georgia’s Gunnar Stockton made his first collegiate begin in opposition to Notre Dame and struggled. On Thursday night time, Notre Dame can be dealing with off vs. Penn State. Each groups have comparable strengths. We all know the Irish and Nittany Lions have robust defenses. Very similar to their recreation vs. Georgia, tonight’s matchup can be about what crew makes the least quantity of errors. Notre Dame made zero vs. the Bulldogs and that’s why they’re within the Orange Bowl.
#6 Penn State (+1) (+101 ML)
The 12-team faculty soccer playoff for groups like Penn State and Notre Dame. For years they might end within the prime 12, however by no means within the prime 4 to make the playoffs. Growth has modified that and now Penn State is one recreation away from the Nationa Championship. Within the first spherical of the playoffs in 2024, Penn State hosted SMU. They have been the runner-ups within the ACC championship recreation however didn’t stand an opportunity vs. the Nittany Lions. SMU misplaced 38-10 and Penn State received with ease.
Of their second playoff recreation, Penn State confronted the Mountain West champion Boise State Broncos. They featured Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty who had an unbelievable season as RB. Nevertheless, Penn State’s protection bottled up Jeanty and the Nittany Lions received 31-14. Notre Dame is favored barely forward of Penn State within the Orange Bowl. They’ve confronted more durable opponents in comparison with who Penn State has performed. Indiana and Georgia are higher wins than SMU and Boise State. Can the Nittany Lions use that as momentum tonight after they face Notre Dame? Head coach James Franklin will look to recover from the hump and erase the narrative that he can’t win an enormous recreation. That is by far probably the most significant recreation in his tenure with Penn State.
