College football enthusiasts have spotted a “spooky” parallel from the 1993 film ‘Rudy’ following Notre Dame’s 27-24 victory over Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.
The Fighting Irish secured a historic result to book their place in the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship on Thursday, leaving them needing just one more win to secure yet another piece of silverware for the collection and rewriting their name in the history books.
Having rallied to draw themselves level after going 10-3 behind at the interval of their Orange Bowl clash with the Nittany Lions, Notre Dame produced a memorable second-half fightback to force the tie to overtime, where Mitch Jeter scored a 41-yard field goal in the dying seconds to spark jubilant celebrations among fans, staff and players inside the Hard Rock Stadium.
But while that was going on, a creepy realization occurred. After Thursday’s match, a fan shared a screenshot from the biographical sports movie ‘Rudy,’ a film that tells the story of Daniel ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger, who overcame numerous obstacles to realize his dream of playing football at Notre Dame.
In the image, clearly visible were the names Riley, Jeter, and Mitch written on a blackboard. Supporters quickly linked the list to Mitch Jeter, who clinched the game for the Fighting Irish with a 41-yard field goal, and quarterback Riley Leonard.
Fans instantly went into meltdown on social media, claiming Notre Dame’s win was pure destiny. “There is no shot this is real,” one fan declared. “Don’t make me watch it to confirm,” another chimed in.
“If I watch the movie again and this isn’t real I’m gonna end up hating the movie,’ a third added. A fourth fan then noted: “A few things here, that’s crazy. Riley, Jeter and ND beat USC on November 30 to get into the playoffs. exactly 50 years after this date. wow.”
Meanwhile, a fifth pointed out that the names were actually part of a scouting report on USC’s defense in the film. “These were real players on the 1974 USC Trojans Defense…. Art Riley Gary Jeter Dale Mitchell,” the user explained.
Leonard ended the game with a total of 223 yards passing, including a crucial 10-yard pass to Jaden Greathouse that converted a third-and-3 on the final drive. Leonard also clocked up 35 yards rushing, and both passed and ran for a score each.
His standout performance was all the more impressive considering he had to shake off a hit late in the second quarter that saw him sent to the medical tent for a concussion check. He returned to lead the Fighting Irish on four scoring drives in the second half, including the decisive last one.
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