This College Football Playoff semifinal will be a throwback to the 1980s.
Notre Dame opens the Orange Bowl game to be held in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 9th as a small favorite with a 1.5 point lead over Penn State on FanDuel.
The No. 7 Fighting Irish (13-1) are -125 favorites on the money line and have a total set of 46.5.
Notre Dame vs. Penn State CFP Semifinal Odds
| team | spread | money line | odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| notre dame cathedral | -1.5 (-114) | -125 | o46.5 (-110) |
| pennsylvania state university | +1.5 (-106) | +104 | u46.5 (-110) |
This College Football Playoff (CFP) matchup features two programs looking to end a national title drought dating back to the 1980s.
No. 6 Penn State (12-2) last won in 1986 and hasn't appeared in the title game since that season.
The Nittany Lions, who defeated Boise State and SMU to advance to the semifinals, have a potential first-round NFL pick at quarterback in Drew Aller, but lack stability on offense.
The big blow to James Franklin's team is that they often can't beat better teams, but the way this game played out shows they're on par with Notre Dame. There is.
Penn State went 6-6 against the spread (ATS) in the regular season, couldn't cover it in a loss to Oregon in the Big Ten title game, but then went on to cover the spread in the first two games of the CFP. It's back to normal.
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Notre Dame's drought was two years shorter, with the Fighting Irish last winning in 1988, but the program has dealt with the heartbreak of losing in the title game ever since.
The Fighting Irish ended the 2012 season with a loss to Alabama.
Notre Dame showcased all three phases of the game in its 23-10 win over Georgia in the quarterfinals. The Fighting Irish rushed the ball well, limiting Georgia's offense and returning the kickoff for a touchdown.
With a 12-2 ATS record, including 2-0 in the CFP, this historic program has been one of the best teams in college football this season.
Regardless of which team wins, the winner will certainly be a heavy underdog against either Texas State or Ohio State.
Why trust New York Post Betting?
Matt Ehardt has been against spreads since childhood, when he joined his father's newspaper pool and even won top prize multiple times. He specializes in NFL betting and has also had great success in NCAA games.
