In an era that is now long gone, a trip to the Orange Bowl meant a break from the rough weather up north and the capper to a successful season that might even end with a championship trophy in the case.

As kickoff for the 2025 Orange Bowl between Notre Dame and Penn State approaches, the point spread has grown. At Fan Duel, Notre Dame opened as a 1.5-point favorite over the Nittany Lions immediately following the Fighting Irish victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. Now just 48 hours before kickoff in Miami, that number has increased.

This week's trip to South Florida isn't the first homecoming for Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden. He's come back in the years since the end of his tenure as head coach at the University of Miami.