A diving interception off an ill-advised pass set up Notre Dame’s trip to play for the program’s 12th national title after a thrill-a-minute 27-24 victory over Penn State on Thursday night in the Orange Bowl.

Fighting Irish defensive back Christian Gray snared Drew Allar’s pass across the middle at the Nittany Lions 42 with 33 seconds left, then the Irish moved 19 yards to set up Mitch Jeter’s 41-yard winner with 7 seconds left.

The game featured three ties, three lead changes and 31 points in the fourth quarter alone.

Notre Dame (14-1), seeded seventh in this, the first 12-team college playoff, will have a chance to earn its first title since 1988 on Jan. 20 against the winner of Friday night’s Texas-Ohio State semifinal.

No. 6 seed Penn State (13-3) fell agonizingly short in a game it controlled over the first 28 minutes.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard shook off a hit late in the second quarter that sent him to the medical tent to be checked for a concussion. He led the Irish on four scoring drives in the second half.

Leonard passed and ran for a score each.

BECK JOINS MIAMI >> Carson Beck is pushing his NFL plans back a year and has committed to play next season at Miami.

Beck, the now-former Georgia quarterback, signed a grant-in-aid agreement with the Hurricanes.

The move means Beck — who is recovering from elbow surgery — is presumably taking over as Cam Ward’s replacement as Miami’s starter for the 2025 season. Beck originally declared for the NFL draft, then entered the transfer portal earlier this week.

Beck spent five seasons at Georgia, the last two as the primary starter.

Beck has completed 628 of 923 passes for 7,912 yards, 58 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in his college career.

MCCORD HEADED TO DRAFT >> Syracuse quarterback Kyle McCord is declaring for the NFL draft after one season with the Orange.

McCord leads the nation with 4,779 yards passing this season, a total that broke Deshaun Watson’s ACC single-season record. He threw for 453 yards and five touchdowns in a victory over Washington State in the Holiday Bowl.

McCord ranks fourth nationally with 34 touchdown passes.

He started his career at Ohio State and passed for 3,170 yards and 24 TDs for the Buckeyes last season.