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With just a few hours to go before tonight’s Orange Bowl matchup between No. 5 Notre Dame and No. 4 Penn State, it appears some of the Fightin’ Irish are currently Fightin’ something else: The flu.

According to multiple reports, some Notre Dame players have been battling a “bad” flu for a couple of days now. However, the most recent update is that it has just been limited to “mostly backups and special teams players.”

A flu that doesn’t affect starters?! You don’t say! 

THE WINNER OF TONIGHT’S GAME PLAYS IN NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP

Some on social media are already calling this Notre Dame’s “flu game,” while others – presumably those that let’s just say aren’t fans of the Irish, are saying that the University is already making excuses for what’s expected to be a battle tonight between these two storied franchises. As for it just being limited to back up players, it may just be that it has already run its course with some of the other players, as we’ve now learned that wide receiver Beau Collins was dealing with a sickness during last week’s Georgia game. 

Notre Dame is currently a 1½-point favorite.

The Nittany Lions, however, haven’t remained unscathed either. According to Brody Sheetz of On3 Sports, the team has been battling some sort of Norovirus that’s believed to be caused by food poisoning! (I bet it was the oranges that have been handed out to promote the Orange Bowl! Can’t trust’em!)

Food poisoning AND the flu? Is Michael Jordan playing tonight or something?

Regardless, we may be in line for one messy game tonight in more ways than one!