Prospects to know in the Orange Bowl.
While we mourn the Arizona State Sun Devils not finding their way to the College Football Playoffs Semifinals, we can also enjoy that tonight we wouldn’t have been worrying about them anyways.
No, tonight is the Orange Bowl, with the Penn State Nittany Lions taking on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and there are three players to know for Arizona Cardinals fans heading into tonight.
First up, everything you need to know about the game:
Orange Bowl: #7 Notre Dame (13-1) vs #6 Penn State (13-2)
Date: Thursday, January 9, 2025
Time: 5:30 p.m. AT
Location: Hard Rock Stadium – Miami Gardens, FL
National TV: ESPN
National online streaming: WatchESPN
TV announcers: Sean McDonough (play-by-play), Greg McElroy (analyst), Molly McGrath and Katie George (sidelines)
Betting line: Fighting Irish -1.5, per FanDuel Sportsbook
And three players to know for the Arizona Cardinals.
Abdul Carter, Edge, Penn State – Looking at Carter may be a bit farfetched for the Arizona Cardinals, as he is projected to go top 10, and maybe even top five. But, we will see if he can go coming off an injury from the Boise State game.
Carter though, has juice off the edge we haven’t seen in a couple of years and would be the complete package as a pass rusher for the Cardinals and Jonathan Gannon’s defense.
Tyler Warren, TE, Penn State – Wonder what the consensus would be if the Cardinals added another elite tight end? All I know is that Warren is very good, and after last year, the amount the Cardinals throw to the tight end, why not have two of them? Warren is bigger than Trey (at least what he is listed at), but he offers the same type of athleticism and big play ability post catch.
Xavier Watts, S, Notre Dame – Watts would be a solid replacement option if the team moves on from the safety they didn’t re-sign or draft last season. Watts offers the ability to play in the slot or at safety, and gives the Cardinals three different safeties with three different skill sets, but also the ability to keep them all on the field at the same time.
Three more players to watch –
- #56 Howard Cross III, DT, Notre Dame
- #28 Zane Durant, DT, Penn State
- #21 Kevin Winston Jr., S, Penn State
Editor’s Note: Benjamin Morrison would be on this but alas, he is injured.