Free NCAA Pick: Notre Dame vs. Penn State Odds
Looking for Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Penn State Nittany Lions free NCAA College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl picks & NCAA odds? NCAA betting sees the Fighting Irish taking on the Nittany Lions on Thursday, January 9th at the Hard Rock Stadium. Cappers Picks provides complimentary NCAA handicapping picks all season long including all NCAA CFP Playoff games so stay tuned for more FREE NCAA predictions like this Notre Dame Penn State Orange Bowl matchup.
2025 NCAAF Handicapping Analysis: College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl
2025 Orange Bowl
(13-1) Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (13-2)
Date: Thursday, January 9th
Time: 7:30 ET
Venue: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
CFP – Orange Bowl ATS Betting Lines: (BET NOW!) Notre Dame -1.5 | Penn State +1.5
CFP – Orange Bowl Moneyline Odds: Notre Dame -119 | Penn State -101
College Football Betting Total: O/U 45.5
- Live Betting Odds for the upcoming Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Penn State Nittany Lions game!
- Want more NCAA football predictions like this Fighting Irish Nittany Lions play? Check out our free NCAA Football AI Picks for today!
- View our Updated Sportsbook Bonuses for today!
YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO VISIT OUR TOP NCAAF CAPPERS PICKS! (All Under 1 Roof)
Ready for some Orange Bowl fireworks? This classic matchup between Notre Dame and Penn State oozes history and high stakes. The all-time series is deadlocked at 9-9-1, but these teams haven’t squared off since 2007, when Penn State rolled to a 31-10 home win.
Even though Penn State is technically the home team, this game is being played on a neutral site as part of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl.
Fast-forward to today, and we’ve got a nail-biter on deck at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
The Irish are a slim 1.5-point favorite, and with good reason—they’re a covering juggernaut, going 10-0 ATS and SU in their last 10.
You can catch the action on ESPN as both teams look to advance to the National Championship. Notre Dame comes in with a 13-1 record, while Penn State is 13-2 on the season.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame enters the College Football Playoff Semifinal – Orange Bowl with a 13-1 record. They’ve gone 7-1 at home and 6-0 on the road this season. The Fighting Irish have been favored in 13 of their 14 games, posting a 12-1 record as the favorite.
Notre Dame has a 12-2 record against the spread, with an average scoring margin of +24.1 points per game. They are 6-0 ATS on the road and 6-2 ATS at home, going 11-2 as the favorite this season.
Their over/under record is 7-7, with an average line of 47.3 points. This week’s line is set at 45.5 points, and Notre Dame’s games have averaged 51.3 points per contest.
Expert NCAA Football Betting Picks
Need a few more angles for this week’s college football slate? Browse today’s featured premium plays from CappersPicks handicappers, with sides, totals, moneylines, and other NCAA football bets.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish Stats
Notre Dame’s offense ranks 4th in scoring, averaging 37.7 points per game, and they are 14th in our offensive power rankings heading into the College Football Playoff Semifinal. Their strength lies in the run game, with 218.6 rushing yards per game, placing them 6th nationally.
Jeremiyah Love leads the rushing attack with 1,076 yards, 16 touchdowns, and an impressive 7 yards per carry. Quarterback Riley Leonard has thrown for 2,383 yards and 18 touchdowns, with a passer rating of 95.
Notre Dame’s defense has been a strong point this season, ranking third in the nation by allowing just 13.6 points per game. In their recent game against Georgia, they gave up only 10 points, holding the Bulldogs to 62 rushing yards on 29 attempts and 234 passing yards.
Opposing quarterbacks have struggled against Notre Dame, posting a passer rating of just 58.4, the second-lowest in the country. The defense has allowed 167.4 passing yards per game (11th) and 132.2 rushing yards per game on 35.6 attempts.
Penn State Nittany Lions
Penn State enters the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl with a 13-2 record. They’ve been strong at home, going 7-1, and have a 5-1 mark on the road. The Nittany Lions have been favored in 12 of their 15 games, going 12-0 as the favorite this season.
Their ATS record stands at 8-6, with a 4-2 mark on the road and 4-4 at home. As the favorite, Penn State is 8-4 against the spread, and they’ve posted a +17.9 average scoring margin this season.
Penn State’s over/under record is 5-9, with their games averaging 49.5 points. The average over/under line has been 50.3 points, and this week’s total is set at 45.5 points.
Penn State Nittany Lions Stats
Penn State’s offense is ranked 8th in our power rankings heading into the College Football Playoff Semifinal – Orange Bowl. They are also 20th in scoring, with 33.7 points per game. Their rushing attack is their strength, averaging 203.5 yards per game on 37.8 attempts, both 8th in the nation.
Kaytron Allen leads the ground game with 1,026 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns, and an average of 5 yards per carry. Quarterback Drew Allar has thrown for 3,192 yards with a passer rating of 107. He has 24 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, completing 67.4% of his passes. Penn State ranks 10th nationally in completion percentage and 15th in third-down conversions, converting 47% of their attempts.
Penn State’s defense has been strong this season, ranking 11th nationally by allowing just 15.8 points per game. They’re also 14th in the country against the run, giving up only 103.1 rushing yards per game.
In their recent game against Boise State, the defense allowed 14 points and forced three interceptions. They gave up 412 total yards, including 304 passing yards, but held Boise State to 108 rushing yards on 40 attempts.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Football Betting Trends
- The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 5-0 in their last five games as a favorite.
- Conversely, the Penn State Nittany Lions are 1-4 ATS in their last five games as an underdog.
- Also, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish are 8-2 ATS in their last ten road games.
- On the other side, the Penn State Nittany Lions have gone 6-4 across their last ten home games.
- Over the Notre Dame Fighting Irish’s last 3 road games, the over/under record is 2-1.
- The Penn State Nittany Lions’ have an over/under record of 2-1 in their last 3 games at home.
4* Free College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl NCAA Betting Prediction: Notre Dame -1.5
Penn State has struggled against top-tier defenses, sitting at 0-7 ATS in their last seven vs. top 25 scoring defenses.
The Irish boast a lockdown passing defense and thrive as favorites, covering in their last five in that role. Penn State’s 1-7 ATS mark as underdogs screams trouble.
With the over/under line set at 45.5 points, our projection of 51 suggests that taking the over is the best play for this week one matchup between Penn State and Notre Dame.
The Irish come into the game as slight -1.5 point favorites, and we have them winning straight-up with a projected final score of 27-24. This makes the Irish a decent bet to cover the spread as the favorite.
Buckle up—it’s going to be an epic showdown under the Florida lights!
Best Sportsbooks For Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Football Gambling Today!
- 50% Reload Bonuses
- Daily Player Promos
- Live Dealer Casino
- Crypto Deposits
- Same-Game Parlays
- Casino + Poker
- Same-Game Parlays
- Overnight Lines
- Progressive Jackpots
- Reduced-Juice Lines
- 7% Racebook Rebate
- 100% Crypto Bonus
- VIP Cash Rewards
- Live Betting & Props
- High Betting Limits
In Canada? Try Bodog!
Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Penn State Nittany Lions NCAA Betting Tweet Of The Day
Tomorrow at this time… ⏳#WeAre x #CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/5Al17F84iP
— Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) January 9, 2025
If you’re looking for more NCAA picks like this Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Penn State Nittany Lions Orange Bowl matchup we’ll be providing 4* free NCAA predictions on the blog all season long, and check out our Experts for guaranteed premium & free NCAA Football picks!
Register here for a FREE College Football Betting Account Now for Daily Free Picks & More Special NCAA Offers!
