In the Orange Bowl, with 8:42 remaining in the fourth quarter, Notre Dame’s Jack Kiser intercepted a pass from Penn State quarterback Drew Allar. Allar had attempted a fade route to Tyler Warren near the left side of the end zone, but the celebration for the Fighting Irish was short-lived. The officials called defensive pass interference on Notre Dame, nullifying the interception and moving Penn State to the 9-yard line. Just two plays later, the Nittany Lions scored a touchdown, taking a 24-17 lead.
After Penn State kicked the extra point, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman was visibly upset, engaging in a heated exchange with the officials on the sideline. Despite his protests, the pass interference call could not be overturned. The call was controversial, especially considering that Penn State had struggled to connect on passes throughout the game. The Nittany Lions had not completed a pass to a receiver in the first half, relying instead on Warren, who had played a key role in their offense.
Tyler Warren had an opportunity to catch the touchdown pass from Allar, but he was unable to reel it in. Nevertheless, the contact he experienced on the play led to the pass interference penalty, which ultimately helped Penn State regain the lead. Whether this controversial decision would have any lasting impact on the outcome of the game remained uncertain as the match continued.
Meanwhile, on the Penn State sidelines, defensive standout Abdul Carter made headlines with his choice of eyeblack. The defensive end wore eyeblack emblazoned with “Darth Vader,” a nod to his recovery from a shoulder injury he had suffered in Penn State’s previous game. Carter had shared a clip on social media from the Disney+ show “Obi-Wan Kenobi,” in which Darth Vader is seen healing in a bacta tank, drawing parallels to Carter’s own recovery.
Carter had been a crucial player for Penn State throughout the season, recording 63 tackles and 11 sacks, which was tied for the seventh-most in the country in 2024. Despite the injury, Carter’s determination to continue playing demonstrated his resilience. His representative, Drew Rosenhaus, praised Carter for his “warrior” mentality, citing his willingness to play through pain and his deep commitment to his team and coaches.
In other college football news, Michigan quarterback transfer Alex Orji committed to UNLV. Orji had spent three seasons at Michigan, including time as a starting quarterback. He will now join the UNLV program under newly hired head coach Dan Mullen. Orji had a mixed performance at Michigan, showing more success as a runner with 266 yards and a touchdown on 57 carries. This move to UNLV marks the next chapter in his career, where he will work with Mullen to further develop his skills.
Additionally, former TCU and Alabama wide receiver JoJo Earle signed with UNLV, continuing a trend of transfers heading to the program. Earle had been a key player for Alabama before transferring to TCU, but after limited involvement with the Horned Frogs in 2024, he entered the transfer portal. Earle had impressed as a high school recruit and brings experience to UNLV, where he hopes to make an impact under the guidance of Coach Mullen.
