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Singleton's Two Touchdowns Lead Penn State to 24-17 Win Over Notre Dame

Jan 10, 2025, 02:12 AM

In the College Football Playoff semifinal, Penn State defeated Notre Dame 24-17, propelled by a dominant ground game and strong defense. The Nittany Lions opened the scoring with a field goal after a 14-play, 55-yard drive. Shortly after, Nick Singleton capped a 15-play, 90-yard drive with a five-yard touchdown run, giving Penn State a 10-0 lead. By halftime, Penn State had amassed 141 rushing yards to Notre Dame's 15, and their offensive line was controlling the line of scrimmage. Notre Dame's starting quarterback, Riley Leonard, was replaced by backup Steve Angeli due to injury. Angeli led the Fighting Irish to a field goal before halftime, making it 10-3. In the second half, Notre Dame rallied as their receivers made key plays, tying the game at 10-10 by the end of the third quarter. The Irish then took a 17-10 lead early in the fourth quarter. Penn State responded with a seven-play, 75-yard drive, with Singleton scoring his second touchdown to tie the game at 17-17. Despite Penn State's passing game being limited—wide receivers had zero catches throughout the game—their rushing attack remained potent. Late in the game, the Nittany Lions mounted another scoring drive, securing a 24-17 victory and advancing to the National Championship game. Penn State's defense also made crucial plays, including a key sack by Abdul Carter on Angeli before halftime.