Carter entered the Orange Bowl as a game-time decision with a shoulder injury suffered against Boise State in the Fiesta Bowl. The junior, a Glenside native, had a breakout junior year in his first season at defensive end, finishing with 23.5 tackles for losses and 12 sacks.

James Franklin coached the Penn State Nittany Lions to a loss in a big game. Franklin cleared one hurdle this year when Penn State finally made the College Football Playoff semifinal after defeating SMU in the first round and Boise State in the second round.

This was the year and this was the team for Franklin and his Penn State program to prove the doubters wrong, to extinguish the derisive "Big Game James" nickname once and for all. Led by Abdul Carter, Tyler Warren and Nicholas Singleton, Franklin compiled enough elite talent to make a real run at finally breaking through that ceiling.