Former ESPN college football analyst David Pollack weighed in on the semifinal round of the College Football Playoff, confidently sharing his predictions for the upcoming matchups.
The two remaining games—Texas versus Ohio State and Notre Dame versus Penn State—will decide who advances to the national championship.
Pollack, without hesitation, backed Notre Dame in their clash against Penn State. “I’m going with Notre Dame,” Pollack stated. “I’ve been on them for a while. I think they’re a very complete team. I just can’t bet against Riley Leonard. Notre Dame’s got it going, and I believe they’ll make it to the championship game.”
Notre Dame enters the semifinal as a slight 1.5-point favorite over Penn State, according to ESPN BET. The Fighting Irish boast a 13-1 record, having secured playoff victories against Indiana (27-17) and Georgia (23-10). Their sole loss of the season came in Week 2 against Northern Illinois.
Riding a 12-game win streak, Notre Dame has been in top form, with Pollack highlighting the contributions of quarterback Riley Leonard and running back Jeremiyah Love. Leonard has recorded 18 passing touchdowns and 2,383 yards with a 66.5% completion rate, alongside 15 rushing touchdowns and 831 yards. Love has added 16 touchdowns and 1,076 rushing yards on 148 carries.
As Notre Dame prepares to face Penn State on Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET, Leonard and Love will be pivotal in the team’s quest to reach the national championship game.
