College Football Playoff Opening Odds: Notre Dame Vs. Penn State In Orange Bowl
Just four teams remain in the College Football Playoff. In the Orange Bowl, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-1) will take on the Penn State Nittany Lions (13-2) with a chance at the national championship. Orange Bowl opening odds lined Notre Dame as a -1.5 favorite in the game. Its defense paved the way over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl to reach the semifinal. Penn State, many argue, had the easiest route to this point, but turned in exceptional performances anyway. The Capital One Orange Bowl kicks off Thursday, Jan. 9, at 7:30 p.m. ET. The game will be at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, and will be broadcast on ESPN.
Click on odds anywhere in this post to bet on Orange Bowl opening odds. You can also find College Football Playoff odds and odds for every remaining bowl game.
Orange Bowl Opening Odds: Notre Dame vs. Penn State CFP
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Notre Dame vs. Penn State Odds
FanDuel Sportsbook released CFP hypothetical odds as soon as Penn State secured its Fiesta Bowl win over Boise State. FanDuel lined Penn State as a +1.5 underdog to Notre Dame with a 46.5-point over/under.
Penn State’s advantageous path to the CFP semifinals was validated as the Nittany Lions beat Boise State, 31-14. However, that 17-point gap didn’t really tell the tale of the game, as the Broncos had the ball with a chance to tie after halftime and again with a chance to make it a one-score game in the fourth. Ultimately, Penn State’s defense was too much to overcome, sealing the game with an interception on Boise State’s final two drives.
Notre Dame’s ground game struggled in each of its first two CFP games. Aside from a 98-yard touchdown scamper against Indiana, ND rushed for just 95 yards on over 30 carries. Penn State’s defense — when it’s been able to out-muscle opposing offensive lines — has been extremely stout against the run. In the Fiesta Bowl, the Nittany Lions stifled Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty to 3.5 yards per carry, a season-worst. However, when Penn State can’t out-muscle opposing lines, yards can be had on the ground (see: second half against Ohio State).
A physical Notre Dame defense left Georgia’s banged-up offense grasping for yards and points. It really turned the tide of the game as the first half was winding to a close. The Irish defense recovered a strip sack, and, on the next play, the offense scored to go up 13-3. Coming out of the half, ND’s return team housed the kickoff to make it 20-3. Notre Dame’s physical defense, especially up front, should be a strong match for Penn State’s offense. Athletic linebackers also match up well against star Tyler Warren at TE.
The winner will secure a spot in the national championship game against the winner of Ohio State and Texas.
Related: Find the latest college football national championship odds here.
College Football Playoff Promos
As the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff advances, keep an eye out for generous promos at the top college football betting sites. For Round 1, FanDuel Sportsbook and BetMGM Sportsbook both offered profit boosts for CFP games. These profit boosts go beyond SGPs; they’re available for any bet placed on these games (max. $10 wager, min. -300 odds).
Keep an eye out for more promos for the CFP semifinals and national championship. When they’re available, you can find the full details here at TheLines. And keep up to date with all of the college football postseason from our team of CFB experts this January.
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