Ahead of Thursday’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame, Penn State head coach James Franklin has provided an important, albeit murky, update on the status of star defensive end Abdul Carter. In dealing with an upper-body injury sustained during the Fiesta Bowl quarterfinal win over Boise State, Carter is expected to be a game-time decision.
“We anticipate Abdul playing. He’s doing everything he possibly can to play… but it’ll be a game-time decision. And we’ll see,” Franklin said, as reported by Pete Thamel on X, formerly Twitter.
Carter’s absence would be a significant blow for a Penn State defense that has been one of the most dominant in college football this season, ranking seventh nationally in points allowed per game. The unanimous All-American and Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year leads the Nittany Lions with 22 tackles for loss and 11 sacks, cementing his status as a projected first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Carter’s injury, reportedly involving his left arm or shoulder, occurred in the second quarter of the Fiesta Bowl, forcing him to miss the remainder of the game. Despite his absence, Penn State’s defense limited Boise State’s Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty to just 3.5 yards per carry.
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