Notre Dame has been an independent in college football for decades, earning $14 million for reaching the semifinals of the College Football Playoff and $12 million starting in 2026, despite the increasing trend of mega-conferences.

For the first time in 17 years, Notre Dame and Penn State are set to face off on a football field. This time, there's a lot on the line, as the 7-seed Fighting Irish will play the 6-seed Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl,

O n Thursday, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish play the Penn State Nittany Lions in the Orange Bowl, which doubles as one of the college football playoff semifinals. The game marks the latest of Notre Dame’s many successes on the gridiron.