Slated for the middle of this week, the 2025 Capital Orange Bowl features a game with uber-popular teams and a matchup of two tough squads as Notre Dame takes on Penn State. As the winner of the Fiesta Bowl, the Nittany Lions are coming off a triumphant victory over Boise State, 31-14, that saw the squad take control of the game. Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish were able to spring the upset in the Sugar Bowl as they took down the favored Georgia Bulldogs, 23-10 in stunning fashion. Indeed, with Georgia coming into this game as the No. 2 seed, Notre Dame was able to hold off the Bulldogs and score a decisive victory. In what should be a great contest, the Nittany Lions are also on a hot streak as they have won both of their College Football Playoff games by double figures.
In this report, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest gaming news coming from the world of college football, as well as some more notes and info coming from SBS.
| 2025 Orange Bowl in the College Football Playoff | The Pick |  |  |  |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Notre Dame vs. Penn State | Irish ML | -130 | -130 | -130 |
Entering this contest, the Nittany Lions have compiled a fantastic season so far. Per sources, Penn State compiled an 11-1 record (with an 8-1 mark in conference play), only falling to Ohio State. The Nittany Lions then advanced to the Big Ten Championship game but came up short of top-ranked Oregon. Nonetheless, Penn State was selected to compete in the CFP playoff, taking down the sixth seed in the bracket.
Noted above, the Nittany Lions have been excellent in their playoff games thus far. This includes facing SMU in the first round where Penn State took a 28-0 lead into halftime en route to a 38-10 trouncing of the Mustangs. In the last contest against Boise State, the Nittany Lions were tasked with slowing down sensational Broncos running back Ashton Jeanty. A dynamic player, Jeanty was closing in on the single-season rushing record in Division I college football and had also made a strong case as the Heisman Trophy runner-up. With that in mind, Penn State limited the awesome runner to just 104 yards on 30 carries with no scores.
Nittany Lions quarterback Drew Allar did a great job in this contest, throwing for three scores, but was not that accurate with the ball, going 13-for-25 through the air. Nonetheless, the running back duo of Kaytron Allen (134 rushing yards) and Nicholas Singleton (87) were the driving force that propelled Penn State aside from shutting Jeanty down, combining for 221 yards. Of course, the Nittany Lions also forced five turnovers which shows how opportunistic this defensive front is.
Another dynamic crew, the Irish storm into this affair after shutting down Georgia in their last outing. Notre Dame enters this game with a mark of 13-1 on the season, with their only loss coming back to Northern Illinois way back on September 7th of this year. In that last contest against the Bulldogs, Notre Dame was able to win their first major (New Year’s Six) bowl game since the 1994 Cotton Bowl Classic, having lost their 10 most recent such appearances, per one report. Following a terrifying terrorist attack in the city of New Orleans, the game eventually went on with no incident.
Following a defensive-minded first quarter, Notre Dame was able to notch 13 points in the second quarter and go into halftime with an advantage of 13-3. Then, Notre Dame’s Jayden Harrison ran back the opening kickoff of the second half with an amazing 98-yard kickoff return touchdown. Georgia was able to strike back with a fantastic 32-yard touchdown pass from Gunner Stockton to Cash Jones but was unable to score any points thereafter thanks to the fantastic effort of the Irish defense.
A defensive battle, Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard was efficient enough with the football to take down the mighty Bulldogs. The signal-caller only had 90 yards passing, but threw one touchdown, no picks, and also led the team with 80 rushing yards. Additionally, the Notre Dame defense held Georgia to under 300 total yards of offense and two lost fumbles, which was a fantastic accomplishment for the squad.
Another fantastic game, this one will go down to the wire and be another defensive battle. Let’s give Notre Dame the edge here given their tough defensive prowess this season.
Once you are all up to date concerning the latest gaming news and updates coming from the world of college football, make sure to check into the awesome array of info for you at SBS. Of course, for even more info on the topic covered here, the college football betting sites guide has your back with a variety of betting markets and games you can check out the rest of this year and beyond. Conversely, for those interested in diversifying their payment options, look no further than the payment methods breakdown which goes over a variety of options for you to peruse. This includes traditional deposit and withdrawal methods along with newer options like crypto for those who qualify. Finally, for those who are eligible and on the go, the best betting apps rundown has your back with all of the latest nuances on mobile betting sites.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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