There are only three games left in the college football season. That sucks. There's no way around it. If there's a silver lining to that depressing fact, it's that they're College Football Playoff games.

The Fighting Irish and Nittany Lions face off in the Orange Bowl with a national championship berth on the line.

Mar 20, 2018; University Park, PA, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions tight end Mike Gesicki does an interview with Penn State Nittany Lions running back Saquon Barkley at Penn State Football Pro Day. Mandatory Credit: Eric Firestine-USA TODAY Sports

Penn State heads to Miami to play a College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium. How can the Nittany Lions defeat the Fighting Irish and earn a spot in the national title game? Here are the two key matchups for Thursday night’s game that we believe will determine the outcome:

The CFP semifinals kick off Thursday with two 1980s rivals, Notre Dame and Penn State, playing a game that almost couldn't possibly be closer on paper, and then the hottest team in all the land (Ohio State) facing Texas and its clutch former Buckeyes quarterback ( Quinn Ewers) on Friday.

Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker Cody Simon (0) celebrates a sack during the second half of the College Football Playoff quarterfinal against the Oregon Ducks at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif. on Jan. 1, 2025. Ohio State won 41-21.

Ohio State has reached the Final Four. The Buckeyes, the No. 8 seed in the first 12-team College Football Playoff, will head to the Cotton Bowl for a Jan. 10 game with No. 5 Texas.

Instead, Ohio State has rushed for 337 yards and six touchdowns in two CFP games. Putting up points against Oregon wasn’t surprising because the Ducks’ defense had poor performances in past matchups with CFP teams.

Ohio State faces Texas in a thrilling Cotton Bowl matchup. The Buckeyes, favorites by 5.5 points, could see a close game influenced by recent performances.