Notre Dame outlasted Penn State in a 27-24 thriller to reach the program's first national championship game since 2012 in the Orange Bowl. Thanks to the 12-team College Football Playoff format, the Fighting Irish officially became the first team to win multiple bowl games in the same season.

Penn State and Notre Dame hooked up in a classic duel in the Orange Bowl Thursday night. The nittany Lions fell short losing to the Irish, 27-24 in the college football semifinal. PSU finished the season at 13-3. Notre Dame will advance to play the winner of the Ohio State-Texas game in the championship Jan. 20 in Atlanta.

Notre Dame outlasted Penn State 27-24 in Thursday's Orange Bowl that won't soon be forgotten. The back-and-forth affair had pretty much everything as Notre Dame kicker Mitch Jeter put the Irish ahead for good with seven seconds to play and sent the Fighting Irish to the national championship game.