Tony Sacca once starred at Penn State, but now he’s a Notre Dame fan thanks to his son, Anthony

Anthony Sacca has seen the clip a “million times.” The Delran native grew up watching his father’s Penn State film, and Tony Sacca’s game-tying touchdown pass to tight end Al Golden was a particular favorite.

In 1990, the Nittany Lions upset No. 1 Notre Dame, 24-21, and as both teams prepare for their matchup in Thursday’s Orange Bowl (7:30 p.m., ESPN), with the winner advancing to the College Football Playoff national title game, that video has resurfaced quite a bit recently.

“I’ve sent the clip over to Al Golden [now Notre Dame’s defensive coordinator], just as a little throwback,” said Anthony Sacca, the state’s top linebacker out of St. Joseph’s Prep who will attend Notre Dame in the fall. “It’s a full-circle moment. My dad being really good friends with Al during college and now Al is going to be coaching me at Notre Dame.”

Tony Sacca referred to that 1990 game, as well as Penn State’s win over Notre Dame the next season, as some of the best college ball he played. There’s a rivalry between the two blue-blood schools. The programs played every year from 1981-92. Each team knew it was going to be a big game.

However, on Thursday, Tony Sacca won’t be repping the blue and white. He’s all-in for the Fighting Irish.

“I’m rooting for Notre Dame,” Tony Sacca said. “I wish Penn State and all my buddies and all the alumni the best. But now that we’ve moved on to my son going to Notre Dame, I will be rooting for Notre Dame on Thursday.”

Added Anthony Sacca, who’s in San Antonio, Texas, to play in his final high school matchup, the Navy All-American Bowl, on Saturday: “He’s got to root for me. He really has no choice. He’s handcuffed to that. He’s going to root for his son, which is understandable if anybody wants to get mad at him, but we’re a Notre Dame family now.”

» READ MORE: Classic Penn State-Notre Dame games in the 1980s and ’90s: Two-point tries, frigid cold, and a tug at a kilt

The 6-foot-3 linebacker, who finished with 76 total tackles, 18 tackles for losses, six sacks, a forced fumble, and an interception this season, held a scholarship offer from his father’s alma mater. But Notre Dame was a fitting landing spot, considering the relationship he formed with Golden and coach Marcus Freeman, a former linebackers coach and defensive coordinator.

Although the elder Sacca was friends with Golden in college, the two lost touch as Golden went on to a career that included stints as the head coach at Temple and Miami. They reconnected when Anthony Sacca was going through the recruiting process. His son met Golden during his sophomore year but heard stories from his father about their time together at Happy Valley.

“He was the party planner,” Anthony Sacca said, laughing. “He was the pickup guy. He always got everyone to go out and have a good time, so Al was the energizer buddy of the group.”

And as a coach: “He knows a lot about football. He’s a savant in that way where he knows what he’s doing. He runs a great scheme. He’s also a good person — a family man, his son goes to Notre Dame. He’s become my friend along this journey.”

Anthony Sacca had the chance to watch his future team beat Indiana in the first round of the College Football Playoff. He and Prep teammate Quinn Doyle, a senior linebacker, and his older brother, Patch Doyle, a student at Notre Dame, drove out to South Bend, Ind., for the Friday night game.

He described it as almost “emotional” sitting in the stands with thousands of fans covered in green, yellow, and navy blue. He then got to witness the tradition of “Touchdown Push-Ups,” in which fans get thrown into the air after a score.

“I was sitting in the student section when [Notre Dame running back] Jeremiyah Love ripped off that 98-yard touchdown run,” Anthony Sacca recalled. “I almost got toppled on from the people above me. It’s always great when they score a touchdown, be able to throw someone up in the air seven times, or however many times after a score.”

» READ MORE: How Anthony Sacca became the QB of St. Joe’s Prep’s defense: ‘He’s an unbelievable athlete’

Penn State will always hold a special place in the Sacca family. Tony Sacca feels a sense of pride to see his former school make it this far and have similar success to what he enjoyed. When he thinks back to the 1990 Penn State-Notre Dame game, he vividly remembers having his family in the stadium that day.

The family members couldn’t always make every game, especially if it was a road game, but they were in attendance at Notre Dame’s stadium. After throwing the fourth-quarter touchdown pass, Tony Sacca got back to the sideline and immediately looked up at the stands to see his father’s reaction.

Now, it’s Anthony Sacca’s turn to share those moments with his father.

“I couldn’t be any more proud of him,” Tony Sacca said. “He really worked hard. St Joe’s Prep prepares you for the next level in life and in college. Academically, Notre Dame is a fantastic school, so I’m hoping that he gets a degree from there. He put in a lot of work to get to this point.”

Anthony Sacca added: “Notre Dame will win — I think they’re going to win by a lot. That’s me being a little bit biased, but this is where we belong every year, we should be playing for a national title.”