The Nittany Lions look for Abdul Carter to return, while the Fighting Irish have been dealing with a season of injuries.

Penn State and Notre Dame are teams that are built similarly, at least according to PSU coach James Franklin on Saturday. They’re both big and physical up front, led by confident quarterbacks, tough defense and want to run it down your throat.

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to start Thursday in the Orange Bowl against sixth-seeded Penn State, enabling the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish and their trademark ground game to operate at — or near — full capacity in the first College Football Playoff semifinal.