The Fighting Irish opened as favorites against the Nittany Lions for the semifinal set to take place in the Orange Bowl. Notre Dame opened as a 2.5-point favorite, but the spread is -1 on the day of the game.

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

Just four teams remain in pursuit of a college football national championship. It all gets underway later tonight, when Notre Dame takes on Penn State in the Orange Bowl. The winner of that game will face the winner of Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic between Texas and Ohio State.