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Penn State is hopeful that star pass-rusher Abdul Carter will be able to play in Thursday’s College Football Playoff semifinal game against Notre Dame.
Head coach James Franklin told reporters they “anticipate” Carter will be available, but he is going to be a “game-time decision” because they want to see how his upper-body injury feels before kickoff.
Carter injured his arm/shoulder in the second quarter of Penn State’s 31-14 win over Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl on Dec. 31. He didn’t return to the game and his status for the Orange Bowl has been up in the air.
There have been teases from Carter that he is getting closer to being ready to go. He recently posted a video on social media from the Star Wars series featuring Darth Vader in a bacta tank.
According to Wookieepedia, in Star Wars mythology, the bacta tank is designed to “accelerate healing and treat major injuries.”
The Nittany Lions did put together a strong defensive performance against Boise State, despite not having Carter for the second half of that game. Ashton Jeanty, the 2024 Heisman runner-up, had a season-low 104 rushing yards and 3.5 yards per carry.
Notre Dame figures to present a tougher challenge for Penn State. The Irish rank in the top four in the nation in scoring offense and defense. They ran for 154 yards on 37 carries in a 23-10 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2.
Carter is the main driving force for a Penn State defense that ranks seventh in FBS in points allowed per game. The unit has held 11 of 15 opponents this season to 20 points or fewer.
A Philadelphia native, Carter was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and a unanimous All-American selection this season. He leads the nation with 22 tackles for loss and is tied for seventh with 11 sacks.
No other player on Penn State’s defense has more than 11 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
Penn State and Notre Dame will kickoff at 7:30 p.m. ET from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Thursday.
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