Notre Dame scored the final 10 points, including a 41-yard field goal by Mitch Jeter with eight seconds left, to squeeze past Penn State and advance to the national championship game.

Denbrock left the Bearcats for the LSU offensive coordinator position after the 2021 season. He coached quarterback Jayden Daniels to a Heisman Trophy and No. 2 overall draft pick before returning to lead Notre Dame’s offense in 2024, where he coached from 2010-16.

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.