Penn State All-America defensive end Abdul Carter has taken the field as a starter for Thursday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Notre Dame at the Orange Bowl, after days of speculation about whether he would be available.

Penn State meets Notre Dame tonight in the Orange Bowl for a place in the College Football Playoff national championship game.

The Orange Bowl is underway, and Abdul Carter is out there making plays with a banged-up shoulder. He has plenty of motivation, of course, with a trip to the national title game on the line. But, just in case he needed more, Penn State’s #11 got some added motivation from a couple of Penn State star linebacker who wore his number before him.