Former Alabama football coach Nick Saban made his prediction for tonight’s College Football Playoff semifinal matchup between Notre Dame and Penn State at the Orange Bowl in Miami.

From his seat on ESPN’s “College GameDay” set, which broadcast live from inside Hard Rock Stadium, Saban picked the Fighting Irish to beat the Nittany Lions and advance to their first national championship game appearance since the 2012 season.

Saban said:

“This is really a hard game to pick because the styles are similar. The teams kind of emulate each other, and I think Penn State has a chance to make explosive plays in the game, which I think could be a huge factor in the game. But I just like the way this Notre Dame team plays. Marcus Freeman has done a great job. They’ve got great chemistry. They find a way to win. Riley Leonard has been a great leader for them. I’m taking Notre Dame.”

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The winner of the Orange Bowl will face the winner of Friday’s Cotton Bowl semifinal between the Ohio State Buckeyes and Texas Longhorns at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 20.

Notre Dame last played for a national title in January 2013 when they lost 42-14 to Alabama in the BCS Championship Game (also at the Orange Bowl). Penn State last won the national championship to cap off the 1986 college football season, beating Jimmy Johnson’s Miami Hurricanes 14-10 in a major upset at the Fiesta Bowl.

The Orange Bowl can be seen on ESPN.

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