The Fighting Irish were the first team to clinch a berth in the title game after a nail-biting victory over the Penn State Nittany Lions 27-24 in a thrilling Orange Bowl CFP semifinal. It was a tense game going into halftime, as Notre Dame was uncertain whether quarterback Riley Leonard would return. After he cleared concussion protocol, Leonard came out strong in the second half, leading a 75-yard touchdown drive on the opening possession, which kept the Fighting Irish in contention. Leonard finished the game with a completion rate of 65.2%, with one passing touchdown, two interceptions, and contributed another score on the ground.

The Fighting Irish will now wait with bated breath to see who their opponent will be for the title game, a decision that will be determined by the winner of the semifinal matchup between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns at the Cotton Bowl. Here is how the newly formatted CFP bracket is taking shape.