It’s time for the Orange Bowl, folks.

Penn State football is one of the last four teams standing and will take on Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl on Thursday. Both teams feature strong defenses and run games in a matchup that will feature two college football bluebloods.

With a win in the Orange Bowl, the Nittany Lions would clinch a spot in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff national championship. Here’s everything you need to know about Thursday’s matchup.

Television

The Orange Bowl will kick off at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 9, on ESPN. Sean McDonough will handle the play-by-play while Greg McElroy will be the color analyst. Molly McGrath and Katie George will provide coverage from the sideline.

Radio

Penn State Sports Network — Steve Jones and Jack Ham
Local: 99.5 & 103.7 FM/1450AM, Sirius/XM: 80/82/84

Weather

Thursday will be mostly sunny with a high of 66°, according to Accuweather. There is a 0% chance of precipitation, but wind gusts will be up to 24 mph.

Injuries

James Franklin said on Wednesday that he “anticipates” that Abdul Carter will play after sustaining an arm injury during the Fiesta Bowl. However, Franklin also noted that he will remain a game-time decision.

Last Meeting

The Orange Bowl will mark the 20th time the Fighting Irish and Nittany Lions meet, with the series tied at 9-9-1. The last meeting between the two teams came on September 8, 2007, when the Nittany Lions won 31-10.

Betting Lines

The Nittany Lions opened as an underdog for the third time this season as Notre Dame is favored by 1.5 points. The game has an over/under set at 46.5 points and a money line set at -122 for Notre Dame and +102 for the Nittany Lions.

Media Coverage

Onward State will have you covered throughout today’s game. Find big plays, analysis, photos, and more on our main Twitter account @OnwardState as well as play-by-play commentary from @OnwardStSports.

Photographers Hailey Stutzman (@stutzhailey) and Mikey DeAngelis (@mikey_deangelis) will provide visual updates from the field, while football writers CJ Doebler (@CDoebler), Nolan Wick (@nolan_wick), Joe Lister (@iamjoelister), and Mitch Corcoran (@MitchCorc18) provide you with updates from the press box.

Onward State

• Penn State Football & Notre Dame Benefitting From Veteran Coaches
• Strong Defenses & Torrid Rushing Attacks To Feature During Orange Bowl
• News & Notes From James Franklin & Marcus Freeman’s Joint Orange Bowl Press Conference
• Abdul Carter Anticipated To Play In Orange Bowl, To Be ‘Game-Time’ Decision
• Previewing The Enemy: Notre Dame Fighting Irish
• Drew Allar Leading Penn State Offense Through College Football Playoff
• Orange Bowl Staff Predictions: No. 4 Penn State vs. No. 5 Notre Dame
• Penn State History Lesson: The Notre Dame-Penn State Rivalry
• Penn State Athletics Publishes Offseason Construction Simulation
• Strong Rushing Defense Crucial For Notre Dame In College Football Playoff Semifinal
• Nittany Lions In The NFL: Week 18 Roundup
• ‘We’ve Already Seen It’: Penn State Football Defense Confident In Holding Notre Dame’s Top Rushing Attack
• Penn State Football’s Defense Living In The Moment Ahead Of Orange Bowl
• Omari Evans Confident Ahead Of Orange Bowl After Fiesta Bowl Touchdown
• News & Notes From James Franklin’s First Orange Bowl Press Conference
• Kaytron Allen & Nick Singleton Unlocking Offense Ahead Of Orange Bowl
• Press Box Demolished To Start Major Work On Beaver Stadium Renovations
• Former Penn State Football Safety King Mack Enters Transfer Portal Again
• Penn State Football Opens As 1.5-Point Underdog Against Notre Dame
• Penn State Football To Face Notre Dame In Orange Bowl
• Nick Saban ‘A Believer’ In Penn State Football After Fiesta Bowl Win
• Analyzing Post-Boise State Reactions For Penn State Football
• Penn State Football’s Post-Boise State Report Card
• [Photo Story] Penn State vs. Boise State In The Fiesta Bowl
• Gameday Observations: Boise State