USATSI
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard returned in the second half after leaving the game due to an injury before halftime in the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal on Thursday night and led the Fighting Irish to a 27-24 victory. Leonard returned from concussion protocol after taking a big hit just before halftime and led the Notre Dame comeback and into the CFP National Championship.
Leonard missed the majority of the team’s final possession in the first half after taking a shot from 305-pound Penn State defensive tackle Dvon J’Thomas. But he started the second half with a bang as his team overcame a 10-3 halftime deficit to secure its spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship.
“I knew I was going to get back out there,” Leonard told ESPN after the game. “Obviously, safety first on the football field. I just kind of had to prove to everybody that I was fine. I got up a little wobbly, but it’s all good.”
Leonard guided an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive to open the third quarter, capping it with a 3-yard touchdown run. He later added a 54-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Greathouse that tied the game at 24 with 4:38 remaining.
The explosive touchdown pass marked a significant moment of redemption for Leonard, who was intercepted by Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton earlier in the fourth quarter on an ill-advised pass that set up the Nittany Lions to take a 24-17 lead.
Leonard finished 15 of 23 passing for 223 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions. He also totaled 35 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground. It was the sort of gritty performance that the Duke transfer has become known for during his career.
But for a brief moment it looked as though the Fighting Irish’s hopes may hinge on the play of backup Steve Angeli.
When Leonard went to the injury tent on Notre Dame’s final possession of the first half, Angeli entered and provided a spark. He completed 6 of 7 passes for 44 yards as the Fighting Irish moved into position for their first points of the game on a 41-yard Mitch Jeter field goal as time expired in the second quarter.
Previously, the most substantive action of Angeli’s career came in the Sun Bowl last season when he threw three touchdowns in a win over Oregon State. Though his appearance was brief before Leonard re-entered in the second half on Thursday, Angeli handled himself well in a difficult situation to help calm the waters at the end of a rocky first half for the Fighting Irish.
