Booger McFarland leans to Notre Dame beating Penn State

Ahead of the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Orange Bowl, ESPN’s Booger McFarland is leaning towards Notre Dame surviving and advancing over Penn State when the final whistle blows.

During the latest episode of Always College Football with Greg McElroy, McFarland elaborated on his take, believing the Fighting Irish simply have more ways to beat you than the Nittany Lions. However, he’s not all that confident in Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard, despite his impressive play over the past couple of months.

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“I’m going to lean Notre Dame in this one,” McFarland predicted. “I just think when you look at the ways — and this is how I do football, whether it’s college or pro. I take a team and I say, ‘How many ways can this team beat you?’ Usually, the team that can beat you more ways has more opportunities and more bullets in the chamber. I think based on how Notre Dame played defensively against Georgia, I think based on Notre Dame’s ability to throw the football, I think based on Notre Dame’s offensive line, I think based on Notre Dame’s ability to run the football, I think Notre Dame can beat you that number of ways.

“Penn State, their defense is really good. Penn State has a good tight end. Penn State can run the football. I don’t think Penn State has enough on the edges, on the outside, that can threaten a defense. Penn State is very similar to Georgia. Georgia’s wide receivers were so underwhelming, it’s not even funny. I don’t think Penn States are quite to their level, but they are definitely underwhelming. So now, when your wide receivers aren’t there, it limits the number of ways offensively — if I’m calling the plays, that I’m going to try to figure out a way to score points.

“I think Penn State’s handicapped, and I think I would lean toward Notre Dame ,with a small caveat on Riley Leonard. I like Riley Leonard. He’s like a [Greg] McElroy light. Super smart kid, he’s way more athletic than you. But if I had to put the game on your shoulders, I would feel more comfortable than if I had to put the game on Riley Leonard’s shoulders. But by no means do I want to put it on either one of your shoulders. Does that make sense?”

Alas, Leonard won’t have to be perfect for Notre Dame to get the win, but he’ll simply have to play mistake-free football. That’s easier said than done against Penn State’s defense, but Leonard has been doing that over the past couple of months, proving he can get the job done at a high level.

Time will tell if he can keep up his impressive play, and lead Notre Dame to the national title game. Booger McFarland and the rest of the college football world will certainly be tuned in, as the Fighting Irish and Nittany Lions kickoff Thursday at 7:30 p.m. ET.