When Nick Singleton committed to Penn State against Notre Dame in 2021, he never thought he would play against the Fighting Irish.
But that will happen when the Nittany Lions (13-2) meet Notre Dame (13-1) in the College Football Playoff semifinals at the Orange Bowl on Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. in South Florida.
“Notre Dame was obviously a good visit,” Singleton said Saturday. “The coaches and the team were nice. It depended on the atmosphere. Penn State has treated me like family since I got here as a freshman. They also treated my family like family.
“It was also an easy choice. The tradition of running backs and how many were produced here. It was near my house. Being from Pennsylvania, there is no other place to be.
The former Governor Mifflin star rushed for 1,015 yards, his second 1,000-yard season in three years with the Lions. With 2,828 career rushing yards, he ranks 11th in school history, 1 yard behind 1994 Heisman Trophy finalist Ki-Jana Carter.
Singleton is deciding whether to return to Penn State for his senior season or opt for the NFL. He is expected to be drafted between the second and fourth rounds.
“We would love to have him back,” Lions coach James Franklin said. “If he decides to join the NFL, we will fight like hell to get him drafted as high as possible. It’s really important for him to play well in this match and to continue this season.
“I’m a huge fan of Nick, his mom, his dad and Gov. High School. Mifflin. If it was just about Penn State and their greed, I’d like him to come back. But at the end of the day, I want him to do what’s best for him.
In his last four games against Maryland, Oregon, SMU and Boise State, Singleton carried 49 times for 379 yards, a 7.7 average and four touchdowns.
“I’m still worried about finishing the season in a good way,” he said. “We have a chance to do something we haven’t done in a long time: compete for a national championship. Right now I’m just focusing on that. I will make a decision at the end of the season.
Carter update: Franklin said defensive end Abdul Carter, who missed almost the last three quarters against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl, is on track to play in the Orange Bowl.
Carter suffered an upper-body injury on the first play of the second quarter of Penn State’s 31-14 win over the Broncos and did not return.
“At this point, I don’t think there’s anything stopping him from playing,” Franklin said. “But it will depend on how he is able to play. We’ll see.
“He has a big smile on his face. I think he’s excited about this week. It’s too early to tell at this stage (if he will play).
Carter, a consensus first-team All-American, leads Penn State with 21.5 tackles for loss, 11 sacks and eight quarterback hurries. Amin Vanover, Dani Dennis-Sutton and Smith Vilbert stepped up in his absence against Boise State.
“He’s doing great,” Franklin said. “His attitude is great. His mentality has been really good. We’ll see. I think he has the right approach and the right mentality. It will depend on how he feels and how much training he can get in during the week.
Press box collapse: The press box at Beaver Stadium was demolished Saturday morning as part of the stadium’s renovation project, which will be completed before the 2027 season.
The press box was originally part of the new Beaver Field on the west side of Penn State’s campus, and the stands were moved after the 1959 season and reassembled on the east side of the campus as part of Beaver Stadium.
“Someone said, ‘Thank God because that was the worst press box in the Big Ten,'” Franklin said. “Whether you agree with it or not, we were fighting to be part of the debate. I think it’s a good thing (that it’s part of the renovation).
