Notre Dame players and staff members are dealing with a "flu or a virus" ahead of Thursday night's College Football Playoff semifinal against Penn State, a school official confirmed in a statement to CBS Sports' Brandon Marcello.

Just four teams remain in pursuit of a college football national championship. It all gets underway later tonight, when Notre Dame takes on Penn State in the Orange Bowl. The winner of that game will face the winner of Friday night’s Cotton Bowl Classic between Texas and Ohio State.

Notre Dame last won a national championship in 1988. Penn State hasn't been crowned champion of college football since 1986. These blue blood programs are two wins away from a title and meet tonight in the Orange Bowl for the first semifinal of the College Football Playoff.