Penn State isn’t the only thing standing in Notre Dame’s way as it seeks a trip to the College Football Playoff national championship game.
Notre Dame reporter Tyler Horka of On3 Sports notes that the team has been hit with a flu outbreak.
Horka noted that the outbreak has been contained to “mostly backups and special teams players,” but it’s still a hurdle for Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman to navigate before Notre Dame plays Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday evening (7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN).
Per ESPN Bet, the Irish are a one-point favorite against the Nittany Lions, who had two extra days of rest after Notre Dame’s quarterfinal at the Sugar Bowl was postponed a day following the New Year’s terrorist attack in New Orleans.
Notre Dame (13-1) ground out a 23-10 win over Georgia (11-3) to reach the semifinals. The Irish only threw for 90 yards, their eighth-fewest in a win since 2000 (h/t Stathead), while rushing for 154 yards.
Special teams played a significant role in Notre Dame’s win, so the flu outbreak could be especially concerning for the Irish.
Kicker Mitch Jeter was 3-of-3 on his kicks, all from over 40 yards.
Wide receiver Jayden Harrison scored a 98-yard touchdown on the opening kickoff of the second half to give Notre Dame a 20-3 lead.
The punt unit also contributed to the win when Freeman rushed it off the field on a fourth down in the fourth quarter, and Georgia’s defense jumped offside following the mad scramble to keep the Irish drive alive.
Penn State (13-2) defeated Boise State (12-2) 31-14 on New Year’s Eve at the Fiesta Bowl. The Nittany Lions defense forced four turnovers, and they rushed for 216 yards to move two wins away from their first football national championship since 1986.
If the flu doesn’t take out Notre Dame, Penn State might.
