Notre Dame vs Penn State Picks and Prediction: Bet Irish ATS on January 09

Notre Dame is a 2-point favorite versus Penn State with the over-under set at 46 points. Let’s break down my college football pick for this Orange Bowl game.

𝙂𝙖𝙢𝙚 𝙒𝙚𝙚𝙠

Orange Bowl

🆚 6️⃣ Penn State
📍 Miami Gardens, Florida
📅 Thursday, Jan. 9
🕢 7:30PM ET
📺 ESPN#GoIrish pic.twitter.com/b9htqvHwHL

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) January 5, 2025

Four teams remain in the College Football Playoff, and Penn State has the longest odds to win the national championship at +550, per the BetUS Sportsbook. Notre Dame is second at +375 behind Ohio State which is a heavy favorite at -115.

Here’s what you need to know about this College Football Playoff matchup.

Orange Bowl Game Information

• Game: Notre Dame Fighting Irish (13-1) vs Penn State Nittany Lions (13-2)
• Date/Time: Thursday, Jan. 9, 7:30 p.m. ET
• Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida
• Notre Dame vs Penn State Live Stream: Fubo.tv

Get the latest Notre Dame vs Penn State betting trends here.

Penn State is a 2-point underdog versus Notre Dame in the college football betting lines. This Thursday, Jan 9 College Football Playoff matchup kicks off at 7:30 p.m in Miami. Fans can watch the Orange Bowl on ESPN.

Notre Dame vs Penn State: How to Bet CFP Playoff

1. Irish Riding a Heater Heading into Orange Bowl

Most fans dismissed Notre Dame as a contender after the team’s Sept. 7 loss to Northern Illinois. Yet, this is a much different team than the one that was upset by NIU.

The last time Penn State faced off against Notre Dame, it was the first ever official Whiteout at Beaver Stadium pic.twitter.com/EhSCGP0NVn

— LandonTengwall (@landon_tengwall) January 2, 2025

The Irish may be the hottest team in college football. Quarterback Riley Leonard has contributed to the team’s success, but the Irish have leaned on an old-school recipe for success.

Notre Dame’s defensive attack and run game have been the two major reasons why the Irish found their footing after the loss to Northern Illinois. Since this loss, Notre Dame has pleased fans who have bet online.

Touchdown Profits! Bet $200, Get $450 Bonus on first time deposit.

2. Penn State QB Drew Allar Faces Most Challenging Test vs ND

Penn State quarterback Drew Allar has had a solid season, but the Nittany Lions signal-caller has not been asked to do much in the previous two College Football Playoff matchups. Per Notre Dame vs Penn State stats, Allar did not top 180 passing yards in either of the two postseason games.

The LEADERSHIP STYLE of Penn State QB DREW ALLAR, as he preps for Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl:
“I want to win and I want to be perfect in everything I do.” Watch: pic.twitter.com/RmX2QSUq8f

— Mike Poorman (@PSUPoorman) January 4, 2025

Allar is likely going to need to do more against Notre Dame. The Irish’s defense provides much more of a difficult test than either SMU or Boise State.

3. Notre Dame vs Penn State Pick: Ride With the Irish

Both of these teams are good or they would not have made it all the way to the semifinals. Notre Dame is coming off a dominant performance versus Georgia.

Penn State had an easier path to the Orange Bowl with wins over Boise State and SMU. I still have questions as to whether the Nittany Lions have the offensive weapons needed to win the national title.

Notre Dame is the better team and a legit title contender. Take the Irish to cover ATS in the NCAA football predictions, and fans feeling dangerous could grab Notre Dame’s alternate spread for a higher payout by taking the team to win by more than two points.

More Notre Dame vs Penn State Picks and Bets for Jan 09th

• Notre Dame vs Penn State Parlay Picks and Prediction on Jan 9
• Notre Dame vs Penn State Player Prop Picks on Jan 09

Questions of the Day

Odds and information are accurate at the time of writing. Please check with official sources for the latest updates before placing any bets.