Aug 31, 2024; Columbus, OH, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes defensive coordinator Jim Knowles walks the sideline prior to the NCAA football game against the Akron Zips at Ohio Stadium. Ohio State won 52-6.

Report: Ohio State DC Jim Knowles headed to Penn State

After he helped guide Ohio State to a national championship, Jim Knowles is finalizing a deal with Penn State to become the highest paid defensive coordinator in college football, ESPN reported Sunday.

Knowles is set to make $3.1 million per season on a three-year deal to join the staff of Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin.

Knowles is getting a raise of $900,000 per season over the deal he had at Ohio State and zoomed past the $2.5 million per-season deals for both Wink Martindale of Michigan and Blake Baker of LSU, who were slated to be the highest paid defensive coordinators in 2025.

Ohio State rode the No. 1 defense in the country to four victories in the College Football Playoff, including a 34-23 win over Notre Dame in the title game. The Buckeyes gave up 251.1 yards per game, more than five yards better than the next best team, Indiana.

Ohio State, which finished 14-2, also led the nation with 12.2 points per game, more than two points better than Notre Dame.

Penn State was seventh in total defense (294.8 yards) and eighth in scoring defense (16.5 points). The Nittany Lions are set to return many of the key players that also led the team into the College Football Playoff.

–Field Level Media

Apr 20, 2024; Notre Dame, IN, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish Defensive Coordinator Al Golden participates in warmups before the Blue-Gold Game at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Orange Bowl notebook: Notre Dame DC Al Golden faces alma mater

This week’s trip to South Florida isn’t the first homecoming for Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden. He’s come back in the years since the end of his tenure as head coach at the University of Miami.

But facing his alma mater, Penn State, in the Capital One Orange Bowl this Thursday night with a chance to advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game is sparking a different set of emotions.

Golden, 55, was a tight end at Penn State from 1988-1991 before a brief NFL stint with the New England Patriots.

“I’m excited that Penn State is doing well and happy for the program, but more importantly it’s been a great journey for us,” Golden said on Tuesday afternoon after the Fighting Irish arrived at the team’s hotel in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. “This is my third year at Notre Dame and I had an opportunity to build it with Coach (Marcus) Freeman and get to this point. It’s been a long time and we’re on the brink of being where we want to be when we had our first conversations.”

Golden, who coached Miami from 2011-2015, has been back to coach in South Florida on two prior occasions when he was an assistant coach for the Detroit Lions and Cincinnati Bengals.

But Thursday’s game will be the first time he’ll be on the sideline at Hard Rock Stadium for a collegiate game since he was fired in Week 8 of the 2015 season following a humbling 58-0 loss to Clemson.

At Notre Dame, Golden has helped build one of the top defenses in college football. The Irish rank second in the nation in scoring defense (13.6 points allowed per game) and fifth in passing yards allowed (167.4 per game). Golden has been rumored of late as a possible candidate to return to the NFL next season.

“For me, I’ve loved the people I had the opportunity to form relationships with when I was here and the student-athletes I had the chance to work with,” Golden said. “I’ve reconciled that stage and had great moments since.”

–Penn State continues to be aggressive and successful on fourth downs this season, which was a byproduct of having the depth it lacked in recent years, according to coach James Franklin.

The Nittany Lions have converted 16 of 23 such attempts this season, which puts them in a tie for 13th nationally in fourth down conversion percentage. Penn State ranked 88th in that category in 2021 before ranking in the top eight each of the past two seasons.

“You’ve got to play to your strengths, and sometimes your strength is to punt and play good defense and early on, that was our strength when we got here,” Franklin said. “We had a little bit more depth and talent on that side of the ball.”

–It’s unclear whether Notre Dame will have two of its top players available for Thursday’s game.

Linebacker Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who played 13 snaps against Georgia in the quarterfinals, continued to practice this week although albeit with a brace on his right knee. Jeremiyah Love is also working his way back from a knee injury, but it’s unclear how close he is to returning to action.

–The Orange Bowl brought back memories for Penn State wide receiver Liam Clifford, who was once recruited by Notre Dame out of St. Xavier High School in Cincinnati. Clifford has caught 18 passes for 286 yards and a touchdown this season.

“I grew up a Notre Dame fan and the games I went to as a kid were always Notre Dame games, and my cousin was going there at the time,” Clifford said on Tuesday during the team’s media conference in Fort Lauderdale. “This is a cool full-circle moment for me. They have a ton of tradition, which makes this game awesome.”

–Field Level Media

Jan 2, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA;  Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) hands off to Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jadarian Price (24) on a run against the Georgia Bulldogs during the second half at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

Penn State, Notre Dame charge into semifinals in pursuit of elusive title

Penn State and Notre Dame are vying to end three decade-long national championship droughts and can move a step closer Thursday night when they collide in the Orange Bowl.

One of the two College Football Playoff semifinals, the matchup of seventh-seeded Notre Dame (13-1) and sixth-seeded Penn State (13-2) as part of the debut 12-team bracket, the winner will face either Texas or Ohio State in the CFP national championship on Jan. 20 in Atlanta. The Longhorns and Buckeyes square off Friday night in the other semifinal at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas.

Penn State is coming off a 31-14 quarterfinal victory over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve, which followed a 38-10 win at home over SMU in the first round. Penn State is chasing its third national championship and first since 1986.

Notre Dame, in pursuit of its 12th consensus national title and first since 1988, scored a 23-10 quarterfinal victory over No. 2 seed Georgia last Thursday in the Sugar Bowl, snapping a 10-game losing streak in either major bowl games or national championship games.

“I think it’s human nature to enjoy people saying good things about you,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. “It’s human nature but we’ve talked all year about being misfits and that’s what we have to continue to be.”

Notre Dame ranks third nationally in turnover margin (plus-18) and was plus-2 against Georgia, a big reason it prevailed despite amassing only 244 total yards. Penn State isn’t far behind as it is ranked 20th with a plus-10 turnover margin.

Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts has accounted for seven of Notre Dame’s takeaways with six interceptions and one fumble recovery.

“I think in a lot of ways, they are built similar to us,” Penn State coach James Franklin said. “You look at their turnover ratio numbers, you look at their explosive play defense in terms of defending and limiting explosive plays. … And they do a great job of not beating themselves, which I think is a really important thing in college football. It starts with that, and then you kind of go from there and play to your strengths and things like that.”

Penn State is 4-1 all-time in the Orange Bowl and will make its first appearance since 2006.

Notre Dame’s last postseason game in Miami was the 2013 BCS National Championship Game, but it hasn’t played in the Orange Bowl since 1996. The Fighting Irish are 2-3 in the Orange Bowl.

The teams have not met since Sept. 8, 2007, when Penn State won 31-10 at home. The all-time series is tied 9-9-1 and the two schools have met only once in a bowl game with Notre Dame winning the 1976 Gator Bowl.

Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton have powered Penn State’s formidable running game, combining for 2,041 yards and 17 touchdowns on the season.

Penn State’s leader on defense is Abdul Carter, who has recorded 21.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, but his status for the Orange Bowl is unclear due to an arm injury that limited his participation in the Fiesta Bowl.

“He’s doing great. His attitude is great. His mentality has been really good,” Franklin said. “I think he’s taken the right approach and mentality, and really, it’s going to come down to how he feels and how much practice he’s able to get during the week.”

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has thrown for 2,383 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions while also rushing for 831 yards and 15 touchdowns. Leonard only threw for 90 yards, but ran for 80 against Georgia.

“You play this game with confidence. And that’s where I’ve seen him grow the most is the confidence that he’s playing with,” Freeman said.

–Field Level Media

Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen (13) is tackled by Boise State Broncos safety Ty Benefield (0) during their Vrbo Fiesta Bowl matchup at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Dec. 31, 2024.

No. 6 Penn State silences Ashton Jeanty, No. 3 Boise State in Fiesta Bowl

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Tyler Warren caught two touchdowns and No. 6 seed Penn State limited Ashton Jeanty to a season-low 104 yards on 30 carries in a 31-14 win over No. 3 seed Boise State on Tuesday in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game at the Fiesta Bowl.

Jeanty finished the season with 2,601 yards, falling 28 yards short of breaking Barry Sanders’ FBS-record 2,628 yards in 1988 with Oklahoma State. He fumbled twice on Tuesday, losing one of them.

Penn State (13-2) advances to the semifinal round in the Orange Bowl at Miami on Jan. 9. The Nittany Lions will play either No. 2 seed Georgia or No. 7 seed Notre Dame, who face off in the Sugar Bowl on Wednesday.

Drew Allar completed 13 of 25 pass attempts for 171 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions for Penn State. Kaytron Allen rushed for 134 yards on 17 carries, while Nicholas Singleton busted free for a 58-yard touchdown run to seal the Nittany Lions’ win with 4:54 left.

Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter, the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, did not play in the second half after suffering an undisclosed injury early in the second quarter.

Boise State scored on its first possession of the second half after trailing 17-7 at halftime.

Maddux Madsen completed all three of his passes, including a 53-yard scoring connection with Matt Lauter with 11:38 left in the third quarter.

Madsen finished 23 of 35 for 304 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions for the Broncos (12-2).

The Nittany Lions then went 75 yards in 11 plays, with Allar completing a 13-yard touchdown pass to Warren for a 24-14 lead with 7:22 left in the third quarter.

Boise State squandered a chance to pull within a possession when Jonah Dalmas missed a 38-yard field-goal attempt wide right with 9:20 to play in the game. Dalmas also missed from 45 yards on the game’s first possession.

Madsen was intercepted on each of the Broncos’ final two drives following Singleton’s dagger run.

Penn State scored on its first two possessions to spring ahead 14-0. Allar found Warren from 11 yards out for the game’s first score before connecting with Omari Evans for 38 yards with 3:35 left in the first quarter.

Tyler Crowe’s 8-yard touchdown run cut the lead to 14-7 with 8:41 left in the second quarter, but Ryan Barker drilled a 40-yard field goal for the Nittany Lions on the half’s final snap.

–Javier Morales, Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Honolulu, Hawaii, USA;  Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) cuts through the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors defense for a touchdown during the first quarter at Clarence T.C. Ching Athletics Complex. Mandatory Credit: Marco Garcia-Imagn Images

Fiesta Bowl: Penn State-Boise State Preview, Props, Prediction

GLENDALE, Ariz. — The College Football Playoff quarterfinals kick off with a lone game on Tuesday, with No. 6 seed Penn State taking on No. 3 seed Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on New Year’s Eve.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET at State Farm Stadium.

ODDS AND TRENDS
Despite being the higher seed, Penn State was a consensus 11.0-point favorite as of Tuesday morning. That includes at DraftKings and BetMGM, where the Nittany Lions have been backed by 62 percent of the spread-line money. Meanwhile, the line had moved to 12.0 at some sportsbooks such at BetRivers.

Penn State’s moneyline to win the game outright opened at -375 at BetMGM, but has moved to -450 with the public backing the Nittany Lions with 70 percent of the money.

“The Penn State faithful are backing the Nittany Lions heavily in the first quarterfinal game,” trading manager Seamus Magee said. “Boise State and Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty covering would be great for the book.”

PROP PICKS
–Ashton Jeanty Under 131.5 Rushing Yards (-115 at BetMGM): This has been the most popular player prop at the book, with the public wagering heavily on Boise State playing from behind and being forced out of a Jeanty-dominated game plan. The Heisman runner-up enters the game with 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns on the ground this season.

–Over 53.5 Total Points: The line opened at 54.5 points — the second fewest among the four quarterfinal games — but has shifted down a full point despite the public backing the Over with 79 percent of the total bets and 74 percent of the money.

FIESTA BOWL HISTORY ON LINE
The Broncos, who earned a bye into the matchup in Glendale by winning the Mountain West title, are 3-0 in the Fiesta Bowl.

Penn State (12-2), which advanced to the quarterfinals after beating visiting SMU 38-10 last week in the opening round, is 7-0 in the Fiesta Bowl.

“Our guys are very aware of our history here at Penn State,” coach James Franklin said after a practice this week in Phoenix. “We spend a lot of time in the offseason talking about those things, or former players come back and talk to our guys.”

Boise State (12-1) won its three Fiesta Bowls between 2007 and 2014, including a 43-42 classic in overtime over Adrian Peterson and Oklahoma in 2007.

The Broncos were underdogs in that game and in wins over TCU in 2010 and Arizona in 2014.

“We might not have what everybody else has, but we definitely have enough,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “We’re going to continue to push forward.”

THE NEWS
Boise State is the last non-Power 4 conference team to win the Fiesta Bowl.

“Boise State has been built on earning our right to play against one of the top football teams in the country like Penn State,” Danielson said. “I believe in our team … please count us out. People, media, count us out. I know how we are going to work, and I know we are going to work to play our absolute best.”

Franklin, an assistant coach at Washington State and Idaho State in 1998 and 1999, respectively, appreciates the Boise State program after coaching in the area.

“Boise State has the ingredients to succeed,” Franklin said. “It’s in the university. It’s in the community. It’s embedded there. And that’s why you’ve seen so many people be able to go there and have success.”

Franklin also praised Jeanty for what he means to Boise State being in the playoffs.

“I think it starts and ends with Jeanty,” Franklin said. “He can run away from you and score from a distance. Breaks a ton of tackles — 1,300 yards of his rushing yards are after contact, which is like a ridiculous stat.”

Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, has 344 carries for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns. He took home the Maxwell Award as the most outstanding player in the sport and was a unanimous All-American selection.

Jeanty is 132 yards from breaking the NCAA single-season rushing record set by Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988.

Danielson is similarly in awe of Penn State senior tight end Tyler Warren.

Warren, who has a team-best six TD receptions, leads the Nittany Lions in receptions (92) and receiving yards (1,095). Both of those marks are single-season Big Ten records for tight ends. He won the Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end and finished seventh in the Heisman voting.

“Tyler Warren is elite,” Danielson said. “That’s not just my opinion; I’m very positive he’s going to be the first tight end taken off the board in the NFL draft because of that.

“He can do it all. He is extremely violent at the point of attack. He can catch every ball. He’s one of their top targets on all downs. And he can play wildcat and throw the ball. You talk about just an extremely gifted athlete, we’ve got to know where (Warren) is at all times.”

PREDICTION
Boise State’s lone loss this season came back on Sept. 7 by three points at top-ranked Oregon. The Broncos have reeled off 11 consecutive wins since, but only one against a ranked opponent — a 21-7 victory over then-No. 20 UNLV in the Mountain West championship. Penn State, a power team from a Power 4 conference, presents an obstacle Boise State has yet to encounter this season. The Nittany Lions should control the line of scrimmage on both sides, and how deep the Broncos remain competitive in the game depends on how long they can prevent falling behind by double digits. –Penn State 38, Boise State 20

–Field Level Media

Dec 6, 2024; Boise, ID, USA; Boise State Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty (2) is interviewed by Fox Sports reporter Allison Williams after the game against the UNLV Rebels at Albertsons Stadium. Boise State beats UNLV 21-7.   Mandatory Credit: Brian Losness-Imagn Images

Penn St. big favorite in CFP quarterfinal, but Boise St. undeterred

GLENDALE, Ariz. — Sixth-seeded Penn State and No. 3 seed Boise State enter their College Football Playoff quarterfinal matchup on Tuesday with perfect records in their Fiesta Bowl history.

The Broncos, who earned a bye into the matchup in Glendale by winning the Mountain West title, are 3-0 in the Fiesta Bowl.

Penn State, which advanced to the quarterfinals after beating visiting SMU 38-10 last week in the opening round, is 7-0 in the Fiesta Bowl.

No other school has won more Fiesta Bowls. Arizona State and Ohio State each have five wins in the bowl’s history.

“Our guys are very aware of our history here at Penn State,” coach James Franklin said after a practice this week in Phoenix. “We spend a lot of time in the offseason talking about those things, or former players come back and talk to our guys.”

Boise State (12-1) won its three Fiesta Bowls between 2007 and 2014, including a 43-42 classic in overtime over Adrian Peterson and Oklahoma in 2007.

The Broncos were underdogs in that game and in wins over TCU in 2010 and Arizona in 2014.

They were 10.5-point underdogs to Penn State (12-2) when the Fiesta Bowl line opened.

“We might not have what everybody else has, but we definitely have enough,” Boise State coach Spencer Danielson said. “We’re going to continue to push forward.”

Boise State is the last non-Power 4 conference team to win the Fiesta Bowl.

“Boise State has been built on earning our right to play against one of the top football teams in the country like Penn State,” Danielson said. “I believe in our team … please count us out. People, media, count us out. I know how we are going to work, and I know we are going to work to play our absolute best.”

Franklin, an assistant coach at Washington State and Idaho State in 1998 and 1999, respectively, appreciates the Boise State program after coaching in the area.

“Boise State has the ingredients to succeed,” Franklin said. “It’s in the university. It’s in the community. It’s embedded there. And that’s why you’ve seen so many people be able to go there and have success.”

Franklin also praised running back Ashton Jeanty for what he means to Boise State being in the playoffs.

“I think it starts and ends with Jeanty,” Franklin said. “He can run away from you and score from a distance. Breaks a ton of tackles — 1,300 yards of his rushing yards are after contact, which is like a ridiculous stat.”

Jeanty, who finished second in the Heisman Trophy voting, has 344 carries for 2,497 yards and 29 touchdowns. He took home the Maxwell Award as the most outstanding player in the sport and was a unanimous All-American selection.

Jeanty is 132 yards from breaking the NCAA single-season rushing record set by Barry Sanders at Oklahoma State in 1988.

Danielson is similarly in awe of Penn State senior tight end Tyler Warren.

Warren, who has a team-best six TD receptions, leads the Nittany Lions in receptions (92) and receiving yards (1,095). Both of those marks are single-season Big Ten records for tight ends. He won the Mackey Award as the nation’s best tight end and finished seventh in the Heisman voting.

“Tyler Warren is elite,” Danielson said. “That’s not just my opinion; I’m very positive he’s going to be the first tight end taken off the board in the NFL draft because of that.

“He can do it all. He is extremely violent at the point of attack. He can catch every ball. He’s one of their top targets on all downs. And he can play wildcat and throw the ball. You talk about just an extremely gifted athlete, we’ve got to know where (Warren) is at all times.”

–Javier Morales, Field Level Media

Oct 12, 2024; Eugene, Oregon, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Will Howard (18) celebrates scoring a touchdown during the first half of the NCAA football game against the Oregon Ducks at Autzen Stadium

Ohio State favored to beat No. 1 Oregon in CFP quarters

One of Ohio State’s two losses this season came against No. 1 Oregon, but that didn’t dissuade oddsmakers from installing the eighth-seeded Buckeyes as favorites to beat the Ducks in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals.

Shortly after Ohio State finished off it’s 42-17 rout of No. 9 Tennessee on Saturday night, the Buckeyes opened as 1.0-point favorites at DraftKings and 1.5-point favorites at BetRivers to beat Oregon on New Year’s Day.

The teams met earlier this season in one of the most memorable games of the 2024 regular season. The Buckeyes visited Autzen Stadium on Oct. 12 and walked away with a dramatic 32-31 defeat. A rematch in the Big Ten title game appeared likely until Ohio State was upset at home by unranked Michigan to close the regular season.

Oddsmakers are clearly placing more weight on Saturday’s convincing win over Tennessee in the final game of the opening round of the CFP.

Oregon will enter the quarterfinal clash with a perfect 13-0 record, but it will be nearly a month since the Ducks beat Penn State in the Big Ten title game.

Many believe the CFP committee essentially rewarded the Nittany Lions despite that loss. While Oregon faces a potential CFP gauntlet of Ohio State, No. 5 Texas and No. 2 Georgia, Penn State opened with a 38-10 blowout win over No. 11 SMU on Saturday.

Up next is Boise State, which is seeded third but hails from the Mountain West Conference. Penn State opened as a 10.5-point favorite at both sportsbooks. Only Texas, which faces No. 4 Arizona State, is a bigger favorite among the quarterfinal matchups at 13.5 points.

Georgia and No. 7 Notre Dame will be the final CFP game on New Year’s Day. The Bulldogs opened as 1.5-point favorites at DraftKings, while BetRivers installed Georgia as a 3.0-point favorite.

The road to a national title will require one of the remaining teams to reel off three consecutive victories. For Texas, Penn State, Notre Dame and Ohio State, that will mean winning four playoff games — although each of them won their first-round matchups handily.

NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP ODDS*
Texas (+340)
Ohio State (+380)
Oregon (+400)
Penn State (+475)
Georgia (+550)
Notre Dame (+550)
Boise State (+7000)
Arizona State (+7000)
*DraftKings

–Field Level Media

Dec 21, 2024; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton (33) reacts following a sack on Southern Methodist Mustangs quarterback Kevin Jennings (not pictured) during the second quarter in the first round of the College Football Playoff at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

No. 6 seed Penn State advances in CFP with easy win over SMU

Dominic DeLuca and Tony Rojas returned interceptions for touchdowns and No. 6 seed Penn State advanced in the College Football Playoff with an easy 38-10 victory over No. 11 seed SMU on Saturday afternoon at University Park, Pa.

DeLuca also had another interception as the Nittany Lions (12-2) built a 28-point halftime advantage in Happy Valley. Penn State will face No. 3 seed Boise State (12-1) in a quarterfinal game at the Fiesta Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., on Dec. 31.

Nicholas Singleton rushed for 90 yards and one touchdown and Kaytron Allen had 70 yards and two scores for the Nittany Lions, who thrived in cold weather that was 25 degrees (feels like 12) at kickoff. Drew Allar completed 13 of 22 passes for 127 yards.

Kevin Jennings threw three first-half interceptions for an SMU team that was overmatched from the outset. The Mustangs (11-3) were the final team to earn an at-large bid into the 12-team field, edging Alabama.

Jennings completed 20 of 36 passes for 195 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Roderick Daniels Jr. Brashard Smith had 163 all-purpose yards (77 kickoff, 62 rushing, 24 receiving) for the Mustangs.

Penn State outgained SMU 325-253.

Jennings’ first interception came when DeLuca picked off the throw at the SMU 23-yard line and ran in for the score with 6:08 left in the opening quarter.

His second interception came when Rojas nabbed his pass and meandered 59 yards for a score to give Penn State a 14-0 lead with 13:09 left in the first half.

SMU was threatening to get on the board five minutes later when DeLuca batted a Jennings pass in the air and caught it at the Nittany Lions’ 11 and returned it 14 yards.

Penn State then traveled 75 yards on nine plays to push the lead to 21. Allen capped the drive with a 25-yard run around the left side with five minutes left in the first half.

Singleton scored from the 1 with 1:03 left to give the Nittany Lions a 28-point halftime edge.

SMU got on the board in the third quarter on a 28-yard field goal by Collin Rogers. Penn State got the three points back on Ryan Barker’s 40-yard field goal with 8:13 left in the period.

Allen tacked on a 4-yard run to boost the Nittany Lions’ lead to 38-3 with 12:56 left in the contest.

Jennings hit Daniels from 28 yards out with 7:31 to play.

–Field Level Media

Nov 30, 2024; Nashville, Tennessee, USA;  Tennessee Volunteers defensive back Andre Turrentine (2) takes a peak into the backfield against the Vanderbilt Commodores during the second half at FirstBank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Roberts-Imagn Images

College Football Playoff notebook: Tennessee’s Andre Turrentine returns to Ohio State

No. 9 seed Tennessee will make its first visit to No. 8 Ohio State on Saturday (8 p.m. ET, ABC/ESPN), but Volunteers safety Andre Turrentine will be in a familiar setting at Ohio Stadium for the first-round matchup of the College Football Playoff.

He played in four games for the Buckeyes (10-2) as a freshman in 2021 before the Nashville native joined the Vols.

“I know a lot of guys on that team, so just having that brotherhood and camaraderie from being a freshman there is going to be big in this game and big for me personally,” said Turrentine, a redshirt junior.

He has 35 tackles and one interception in starting all 12 games for the Vols (10-2) this season.

Ohio State defensive coordinator Jim Knowles feels prepared for Tennessee’s fast-paced offense, which averages 74.6 plays per game to rank 11th nationally.

“Our defense is built for tempo,” he said.

–No. 7 Notre Dame (11-1) quarterback Riley Leonard loves the idea of playing for a national championship, but as he told Nicole Auerbach of NBC Sports, the matchup with the No. 10 Hoosiers (11-1) on Friday in South Bend, Ind., (8 p.m., ABC/ESPN) is also about regional pride.

“It’s huge for the state of Indiana. We’ve been talking about it becoming a football state,” he said. “It’s notorious for basketball, for obvious reasons.”

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti on how the game will play out: “I think we’re plus-15 on turnover ratio, and they’re plus-16. So, ball security for us and them is going to be really important — winning the turnover battle.”

–Even though No. 6 Penn State (11-2) lost to No. 1 Oregon in the Big Ten Championship Game, the Nittany Lions were buoyed by running for 292 yards. Now, they host No. 11 SMU (11-2), which is ranked fourth nationally at 93.4 rushing yards allowed per game.

“Our expectation is that that’s what we’re supposed to do every single game,” Penn State center Nick Dawkins said. “I don’t think it matters the opponent that we played against.”

SMU coach Rhett Lashlee on the perceived advantage Penn State will have with a forecast high of 28 degrees: “They have to play in it just like we do and I don’t think they’ve played a game at home on Dec. 21, either. I don’t think the weather is a big deal.”

–No. 5 Texas coach Steve Sarkisian expects big things from quarterback Quinn Ewers when the Longhorns (11-2) host No. 12 Clemson on Saturday (4 p.m., TNT/MAX).

“We’ve all got to take our game to another level, and he’s no different, right?” Sarkisian said. “He’s got to do it.”

Actor Matthew McConaughey is a Longhorns super fan but that doesn’t mean much to defensive lineman T.J. Parker of Clemson (10-3).

“I don’t know who that is,” the sophomore said on Tuesday. “I may know his face, but not by name. I don’t know him.”

–Field Level Media

Southern Methodist Mustangs head coach Rhett Lashlee leads SMU on to the field before the game between the Southern Methodist Mustangs and the Pittsburgh Panthers at Gerald J. Ford Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

No. 11 SMU shoots for playoff statement at No. 6 Penn State

SMU was picked to finish seventh in its first season in the Atlantic Coast Conference, a projection that would have meant an invite to a pedestrian bowl game.

Preseason projections are meaningless as the Mustangs wrap preparations for the first 12-team College Football Playoff.

SMU shattered expectations and the 11th-seeded Mustangs (11-2) are trying to continue that trend with a memorable upset of sixth-seeded Penn State on Saturday at chilly University Park, Pa.

The conditions, with forecasts of temperatures in the low-20s, certainly favor the Nittany Lions (11-2) who called for fans to participate via clothing choice in a “whiteout” in Happy Valley.

“Here’s the deal, they’re playing in the same weather we are,” Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee said Tuesday. “They got to play in it just like we do. I don’t think they’ve played a game on December 21 at home before, either. I don’t think the weather’s a big deal. Both teams are playing the same conditions, whether there’s snow or not snow, whether it’s really cold or just kind of cold.”

The winner of Saturday’s game will meet third-seeded Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31.

While the Nittany Lions were viewed as a playoff team from the outset of the season, the Mustangs took the hard route and edged out traditional power Alabama for the final spot.

SMU went undefeated in ACC play in its first season in the league. Its two losses are by a combined six points — three to BYU and three to Clemson in the ACC title game.

The Mustangs last enjoyed a 12-win season in 1935 and will be counting on the duo of quarterback Kevin Jennings and running back Brashard Smith to help them achieve it.

Jennings has passed for 3,050 yards, 22 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Smith has rushed for 1,270 yards and 14 scores. He also has 1,814 all-purpose yards, just 29 shy of the school record set by Arthur Whittington in 1976.

SMU averages 38.5 points per game while Penn State isn’t far off that mark with a 33.6 scoring average.

Nittany Lions center Nick Dawkins sees the game developing into a full-scale brawl.

“They’re a good team — prepared to go the distance with these guys,” Dawkins said. “They’re definitely going to bring it. College football, it’s do or die, win or go home. It’s going to be very important to be ready to play four quarters.”

Penn State’s two setbacks were in showdowns against Ohio State and Oregon. The Nittany Lions lost by seven to the Buckeyes and eight to the Ducks earlier this month in the Big Ten title game.

Quarterback Drew Allar has thrown for 2,894 yards, 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He said Monday he was returning to Penn State for the 2025 season.

“For me personally, it was a football decision,” Allar said. “That’s always how I’ve been operating. Me and my family had extensive talks about it, weighed everything. I came to the conclusion that I felt like it was best for my future.”

Star tight end Tyler Warren has 88 catches for 1,062 yards and 10 touchdowns while running backs Nicholas Singleton (838 yards) and Kaytron Allen (822) form a solid backfield duo.

Defensively, defensive end Abdul Carter is the star attraction with 19.5 tackles for loss, including 10 sacks. Carter was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.

“There’s a reason he’s a top-five, top -10 pick in the upcoming draft,” Lashlee said of Carter. “There’s a lot of things in his favor that he doesn’t need on top of the fact that he’s just probably as talented of a pass rusher as there is. But that’s not all he is.

“He’s an all-around player. And what really stands out to me is how his motor, he plays the game the right way.”

This is the third all-time meeting between the schools. The schools played to a 13-13 tie in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1, 1948 and the Nittany Lions notched a 26-21 home win during the 1978 season.

–Field Level Media