From the Orange Bowl "hairline" comment to some recent recruiting battles, Penn State and Notre Dame have revived their dormant duel.

While it wasn’t Notre Dame, New Jersey defensive end Luke Wafle added to a tough week for Penn State by committing to USC on Thursday. He’s the younger brother of Lions defensive tackle Owen Wafle and was long an ideal target at a position of need for Penn State’s 2026 class.

O’Brien is Notre Dame’s first five-star pledge in the class of 2026. He plans to enroll early in January and looks to play both wide receiver and defensive back for the Fighting Irish.