Notre Dame is a slim favorite over the Nittany Lions, but the teams enter the Orange Bowl evenly and uniquely matched.

A trip to the College Football Playoff National Championship will be on the line when (7) Notre Dame faces (6) Penn State in the Orange Bowl semifinal game on Thursday. It also will mark the 19th meeting between the programs with the all-time series deadlocked at 9-9-1.

Jeremiyah Love leads the Irish with 1,076 yards, 16 TDs and a 7.3 per-carry average. Bothered by a knee injury, he left midway through the Sugar Bowl and did not return. His status for the Orange Bowl was uncertain.