Notre Dame defensive back Christian Gray had a game-changing interception in the closing seconds of the Orange Bowl to lead the Fighting Irish to a 27-24 comeback victory over Penn State, securing Notre Dame a spot in the national championship game.
With just 30 seconds left in the game and wanting to get down the field for a potential game-winning field goal, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar forced a pass over a swarming defense over the middle of the field. That pass was picked off by Gray who snagged the ball in front of the receiver to give the Fighting Irish the ball on the Penn State 42-yard line.
That led to a 41-yard field goal by Mitch Jeter to send Notre Dame (14-1) to the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff national championship. The game will be played on Jan. 20, in Atlanta. They will face the winner of Friday night’s Texas-Ohio State semifinal in the Cotton Bowl, hoping to capture their 12th national title and their first since 1988.
“Just catch the ball. Just catch the ball,” Gray said of his interception. “That was the only thing on my mind. I knew I was going to make a play.”
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For Allar, the situation was a frustrating one. The junior quarterback explained after the game that he tried to throw the ball away — at the feet of his receiver — but the pressure got to him on the misfire.
The thrilling conclusion capped off what was a dramatic game, one that featured three ties, three lead changes, and 31 points scored in the fourth quarter alone, making it one of the most exciting playoff matchups in recent memory.
With the loss, Penn State coach James Franklin fell to 4-20 with the Nittany Lions against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions ended the season at 13-3.
“Everyone wants to look at a specific play,” Franklin said. “But there’s probably eight to 12 plays in that game that could have made a difference. I’m not going to call out specific plays or specific players. There are a ton of plays where we could have done better.”
Notre Dame will face either Ohio State or Texas in the CFP national championship game on Jan. 20. Penn State opens its 2025 season at home against Nevada on Aug. 30.
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