As Notre Dame prepares to face Penn State in a CFP battle, here’s why the Fighting Irish have earned trust and confidence this season.

The Fighting Irish are favored over the Nittany Lions in the 20th all-time meeting between the two programs. The series between Notre Dame and Penn State is tied, 9-9-1.

The Notre Dame football team can do a lot of damage on the ground, but they don't possess a huge threat through the air. The Fighting Irish rank 108 out of 133 teams in passing offense. Quarterback Riley Leonard has 2,383 passing yards on the season, and he has 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.