By Neil Rudel nrudel@altoonamirror.com FORT LAUDERDALE — History is being pursued here on several fronts. As the Nittany Lions stalk their first national championship since 1987, James Franklin — and Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman — are also vying to become the first ...
FORT LAUDERDALE — Penn State’s top defensive player is expected to start tonight’s game against Notre Dame. Abdul Carter, who injured his left arm/shoulder against Boise State in the first half last week and did not return, is “doing everything he possibly can to play,” James Franklin said Wednesday morning. “We anticipate Abdul playing,” Franklin said. The coach called it a “game-day decision,” but he sounded optimistic. “His approach has been awesome,” Franklin said. “He’s lived in the training room. Abdul’s approached this the right way. He wants to ...
By Andy Stine astine@altoonamirror.com Who would have thought Penn State would still be playing in January just a couple months ago? The Nittany Lions have the chance to punch their ticket into the College Football Playoff national championship with a win over Notre Dame in tonight’s Orange Bowl. It would be PSU’s first title appearance since the 1987 Fiesta Bowl. The Lions, which are 1.5-point underdogs, would play the winner of Friday night’s Cotton Bowl with Ohio State and Texas. The Fighting Irish are probably the most talented team out of any opponent Penn State has ...
Kotelnicki must stick with strengths to defeat Notre Dame By Cory Giger sports@altoonamirror.com Andy Kotelnicki needs to realize he’s not in Kansas anymore. Kotelnicki has done a good job in his first season as Penn State’s offensive coordinator, but there are times when he still tries to get way too cute. He needed to scheme a whole bunch of wacky stuff when he was at Kansas or Buffalo — places where he didn’t always have great talent — but at PSU, he’s got plenty of horses who just need to be turned loose to do what they do. Take, for instance, a key third-and-1 ...
By Michael Marot The Associated Press Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to start Thursday in the Orange Bowl against sixth-seeded Penn State, enabling the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish and their trademark ground game to operate at — or near — full capacity in the first College Football Playoff semifinal. Love re-injured his ailing right knee late in the third quarter of Notre Dame’s 23-10 victory over second-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. He went into the medical tent twice before returning to the sideline with a hefty brace protecting the knee. But when ...
By Jim Vertuno The Associated Press AUSTIN, Texas — The expanded College Football Playoff has a decidedly old-school feel: Smothering defenses have carried the last four teams still in the hunt for the national championship. If you want offense, look elsewhere this weekend. The defenses, with All-Americans spread throughout the lineups, are the story of the semifinals. Ohio State, Texas, Penn State and Notre Dame all rank among the top eight defenses nationally this season. The No. 8 seed Buckeyes (12-2) meet the No. 5 Longhorns (13-2) in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night. The ...
