Notre Dame football now has a chance to secure its first national championship since 1988, thanks to a clutch performance by a former South Carolina player.
On Thursday night, the Fighting Irish defeated Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl, securing a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship game. The hero of the game was former Gamecock kicker Mitch Jeter, who nailed a 41-yard field goal with just seven seconds remaining, giving Notre Dame a three-point lead and sealing the victory.
Jeter’s game-winning kick came as a significant redemption moment after he struggled earlier in the season. Battling a leg injury since October, Jeter had missed four of his five attempts in Notre Dame’s final four regular season games. But the South Carolina transfer has regained his form during the Playoff, successfully converting 7 of his last 8 field goals in the past three games.
Walking into the high-pressure moment, Jeter felt no nerves. “There was none,” he said after the game. “To go out there and do what I do thousands of times, just to be able to give our team a chance to achieve team glory, which Coach Marcus Freeman often talks about. I’m just happy to do that for our team.”
Jeter made a name for himself at South Carolina from 2020 to 2023, handling kickoffs and later field goals. In 2022, he made 95.5% of his extra points and a perfect 11-for-11 on field goals, including two from 50 yards or more. His 2023 season was equally impressive, finishing with a 97.1% extra point percentage and 12 of 14 field goals made, making him the Gamecocks’ top scorer that year.
After the 2023 season, Jeter was among the prominent players to leave South Carolina for the transfer portal. He departed as one of only two kickers in school history to go perfect on field goals in a season (with a minimum of 10 attempts) and the only one with two 50-yard field goals in the same game.
Following Jeter’s game-winning kick, former teammates and Gamecock fans took to social media to express their support, including Dakereon Joyner, a former South Carolina quarterback.
Now, Jeter and the Fighting Irish will face the winner of Friday’s Cotton Bowl between Texas and Ohio State for the national championship on January 20 in Atlanta.
More news……
Ex-South Carolina QB Jake Bentley Named Head Coach at In-State High School
In a major announcement on Wednesday, Nation Ford High School has named former South Carolina quarterback Jake Bentley as its new head football coach. The Fort Mill-based school, which opened its doors in 2007, has seen just two other head coaches in its history, making Bentley the program’s third-ever leader. He comes to Nation Ford from Rock Hill High School, where he served as the quarterbacks coach and co-offensive coordinator.
Bentley inherits a program in need of a major turnaround. The Falcons have struggled in recent years, with no winning season in the past five years and no more than six wins in any season since 2016. After the 2024 season, MaxPreps ranked Nation Ford 43rd out of 54 5A programs in South Carolina. Bentley follows Michael Allen, the previous head coach, and Jason McManus, who served as the interim head coach.
Coaching runs in Bentley’s family. His father, Bobby Bentley, is a well-known figure in South Carolina high school football, having led the Byrnes Rebels to an incredible four consecutive state championships from 2002 to 2005.
Before beginning his high school coaching career, Jake Bentley had a brief stint in college coaching. After finishing his playing career, he spent one year as an off-field analyst at Florida Atlantic and another year as the quarterbacks coach at North Alabama.
Bentley’s football career at South Carolina was impressive. Despite battling injuries and a partial redshirt season, he ranks 4th all-time in Gamecock history with 7,527 passing yards. His 55 passing touchdowns and 63 total touchdowns both place him 3rd on USC’s all-time list. He also set a Carolina record with 510 passing yards against Clemson in 2018. Like current quarterback LaNorris Sellers, Bentley is one of only eight Gamecocks to throw for five touchdowns in a single game.
