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Abdul Carter Channels His Dark Side In Penn State-Notre Dame Game

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Chris Phelps | Last updated Jan 9, 2025 8:38 PM ET

Abdul Carter and the Penn State Nittany Lions are looking to secure a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship as they take on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in the Orange Bowl.

Carter, a junior defensive end from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, suffered a shoulder injury in the first half of the Fiesta Bowl against Boise State, causing him to miss the remainder of that game. Up until Thursday, it was unclear whether the 6-foot-3, 259-pounder would be available to play, but Carter was able to take the field.

During the semifinal game, ESPN captured a close-up of Carter's eye paint, which featured a two-word message: "Darth Vader."

This is a clear nod to the popular film franchise "Star Wars," where Darth Vader was one of the main villains that comes from the dark side of the force, so to speak.

Abdul Carter has "Darth Vader" on his eye black ‍ pic.twitter.com/a8tx9w4kko
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 10, 2025

College football fans loved Carter's eye black message, taking to social media to leave their thoughts.

"That is very scary," one fan said.

"That dude has gotta be 30! Scary," wrote a second.

"Love it!!! Embrace the fight," added a third.

"eye black game stronger than the force," commented a fourth.

"Channeling some serious dark side energy," posted a fifth.

"Goes pretty hard ngl," added another.

Carter has proven to be one of the best pass rushers in all of college football. In the 2024 season, he recorded 63 tackles, 11 sacks and two forced fumbles. The defensive end is also projected to be one of the first defenders taken in the upcoming 2025 NFL Draft if he, in fact, skips his final year of eligibility and declares.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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