Abdul Carter injury update: James Franklin reveals likelihood Penn State star plays vs. Notre Dame

As Penn State gets ready for the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame, the biggest question is the status of Abdul Carter. The star pass rusher left the Fiesta Bowl with an apparent arm injury, and all eyes are on his progress for next week’s College Football Playoff semifinal.

James Franklin had an update on Carter’s injury on Saturday during a Zoom call with reporters. He sounded optimistic about the likelihood Penn State would have the anchor of its defense, pointing out Carter would probably do whatever it takes to play.

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Carter left the Fiesta Bowl in the second quarter and headed to the medical tent. He remained on the sidelines but never went back in the game as Penn State got the victory over Boise State. With a Jan. 10 kickoff looming for the Orange Bowl, Franklin said Carter is in a good place as the Nittany Lions ramp up their preparation.

“He’s doing great, his attitude is great, his mentality has been really good,” Franklin said. “We’ll see. I think he’s taking the right approach and mentality. It’s going to come down to how he feels and how much practice he’s able to get during the week.

“At this point, I don’t think there’s anything that is stopping him from playing. But it’s just going to come down to, is he able to play? And, we’ll see. But his mentality is great. He’s got a big smile on his face. I think he’s excited about this week. But it’s too early to say at this stage.”

Abdul Carter – one of the top prospects in this year’s NFL Draft – leads the charge on the Penn State defense amid a career year on the outside. He enters the Orange Bowl with 63 total tackles, including a career-high 22 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.

Carter came in as the No. 2 overall player on ESPN analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s updated Big Board this week, only behind Colorado two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner Travis Hunter. That shows how high his stock is as Penn State gets ready for the CFP semifinal.

The Nittany Lions defense held strong in the Fiesta Bowl, containing Ashton Jeanty en route to the 31-14 victory. That set up an Orange Bowl matchup against Notre Dame, which defeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 10 in Miami.