Notre Dame and Penn State have already had great games, but the Sugar Bowl will be the biggest yet. The Fighting Irish and the Nittany Lions are competing for a chance to compete for the national title.
It is not the first time Notre Dame and Penn State have had championship implications, but it is the first in the postseason. The two teams had previously met in a bowl game, with the Irish winning the Gator Bowl (20-9) in 1976, but neither club was a title contender that season.
Notre Dame and Penn State have a 9-9-1 all-time record. Penn State won the most recent encounter, 31-10, in 2007, but the Irish had won the previous two, including the historic “Snow Bowl” in 1992. This will be the seventh time both teams have been ranked heading into the game, with both winning four games apiece. It is worth noting, however, that this will be the first time both teams have been ranked in the Top 10 heading into the matchup.
RESULTS
2007 – #14 Penn State 31, Notre Dame 10 (A).
2006: #4 Notre Dame 41, #19 Penn State 17 (H)
1992: #8 Notre Dame 17, #22 Penn State 16 (H)
1991: #8 Penn State 35, #12 Notre Dame 13 (A).
1990: #18 Penn State 24, #1 Notre Dame 21 (H)
1989: #1 Notre Dame 34, #17 Penn State: 23 (A)
1988 – #1 Notre Dame 21, Penn State 3 (Home)
1987: Penn State 21, #7 Notre Dame 20 (A).
1986: #3 Penn State 24, Notre Dame 19 (H)
1985: #1 Penn State 36, Notre Dame 6 (A)
1984: Notre Dame 44, Penn State 7 (H).
1983: Penn State 34, Notre Dame 30 (A).
1982: #5 Penn State 24, #13 Notre Dame 14 (H)
1981: #13 Penn State 24, Notre Dame 21 (A)
1976: #15 Notre Dame 20, #20 Penn State 9 (Gator Bowl)
1928: Notre Dame 9, Penn State 0 (N)
1926: Notre Dame 28, Penn State 0 (H)
1925: Notre Dame 0, Penn State 0 (T)
1913: Notre Dame 14, Penn State 7 (A).
Notable games include the 2006 game between Notre Dame and Penn State, which ended 41-17.
The last time the Irish played Penn State at Notre Dame Stadium, they dominated. This is also the last time Notre Dame has defeated Penn State. Notre Dame was ranked fourth in the AP rankings, while the Nittany Lions were ranked nineteenth. Notre Dame dominated Penn State, leading 20-0 at halftime, and a Brady Quinn to Darius Walker touchdown throw put the Irish up 41-3 early in the fourth quarter. Quinn had a monster day, passing for 287 yards and three touchdowns, each of which went to a different receiver. Darius Walker, a running back, had a good all-around game, gaining 56 yards on the ground and 72 yards on seven receptions. Tight end John Carlson had a big game, hauling in six catches for 98 yards.
1992: Notre Dame 17, Penn State 16.
The legendary “Snow Bowl” contest pitted the No. 8 Fighting Irish against the No. 22 Nittany Lions. The Irish led 9-6 into the fourth quarter, but Penn State kicker V.J. Muscillo leveled the game with a 22-yard field goal midway through the fourth. Notre Dame tight end Irv Smith fumbled on the next drive, sending Penn State the ball in Irish territory. Five plays later, fullback Brian O’Neill pierced the middle of the Irish defense for a 13-yard touchdown run, giving Penn State a 16-9 lead with 4:19 remaining in the game.
Jerome Bettis took a 21-yard screen pass to get the Irish into Penn State territory. Quarterback Rick Mirer connected with Ray Griggs for a 17-yard pass to send the Irish close to the red zone, and Mirer scrambled the ball to the Nittany Lion 9-yard line. The drive fizzled, leaving Notre Dame with a fourth-and-goal at the PSU 3-yard line. Mirer found Bettis across the middle on an angle route for a touchdown, making the score 16-15. Instead of settling for a tie, head coach Lou Holtz called for a two-point conversion. Mirer dropped back to pass, looked left, and saw no one open, so he began to drift before throwing a strike into the corner of the end zone, where Reggie Brooks made a leaping catch for the game-winning conversion.
Notre Dame was penalized for excessive celebrating and had to kick from its own 20-yard line. Penn State took possession near midfield with 15 seconds remaining and had all three timeouts, but Notre Dame forced three consecutive incompletions from Kerry Collins to seal the victory.
Bettis and Brooks combined for 155 rushing yards, with Bettis adding 24 yards via the air, all on the last drive.
1990: Penn State 24, Notre Dame 21.
Notre Dame entered this November 17th contest with a chance to win its second national championship in two seasons. Notre Dame was coming off a 34-29 victory over No. 9 Tennessee, and earlier that season, the Irish defeated No. 2 Miami 29-20. In addition, the Irish defeated then-No. 4 Michigan early in the season. A home win against No. 18 Penn State and a road game at No. 18 USC the following week were all that stood between Notre Dame and Colorado meeting in the Orange Bowl, with the winner taking home the national championship. Notre Dame appeared to be on track for another championship that season, as the Irish led 21-7 at halftime, but the Irish offense faltered in the second half, and Penn State mounted a furious comeback, culminating in field goal kicker Craig Fayak’s 34-yard field goal with only four seconds left to win the game.
This game has some interesting linkages to the current Notre Dame football squad and a future Irish team. Al Golden, the current defensive coordinator, was a tight end for the Nittany Lions. His 14-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter knotted the game at 21-21. Tony Sacca, the quarterback who threw him that pass, has a son named Anthony Sacca, a Top 100 recruit who enrolled with Notre Dame as part of the 2025 class. The younger Sacca is an outstanding linebacker.
1989 – Notre Dame 34, Penn State 23.
The previous year, Notre Dame entered Beaver Stadium as the No. 1 ranked team, but this time the Irish fared better against the No. 17 ranked Nittany Lions. Penn State led 10-7 in the second quarter, but Notre Dame dominated from there. Running back Ricky Watters put the Irish ahead for good with a 12-yard touchdown run. The Irish ground attack was absolutely dominant in this game, as they rushed for 425 yards. Quarterback Tony Rice led the way with 141 yards and two touchdowns, his final one giving the Irish a 28-10 advantage. Watters carried for 128 yards, while Raghib Ismail gained 84 yards (9 carries) and grabbed two passes for 27 yards.
1976: Notre Dame 20, Penn State 9.
The No. 15 Fighting Irish and the No. 20 Nittany Lions faced off in their sole postseason game, the Gator Bowl. Tony Capozzoli scored a 26-yard field goal to give Penn State an early 3-0 lead. Notre Dame answered promptly, with Terry Eurick returning the subsequent kickoff 65 yards. On the next drive, Notre Dame went to the ground, and Al Hunter scored on a sweep play from one yard out, giving the Irish a lead they would never give up. Hunter scored again from a yard out, and Irish kicker Dave Reeve hit a pair of 23-yard field goals as the Irish scored 20 straight unanswered points to seal the victory.
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