Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard gets injury scare, returns to rally Irish into CFP championship game

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — Riley Leonard took a big hit and got a big scare.

He wound up ending the night with the biggest win of his college career — and now, a chance at a national championship.

Leonard and Notre Dame are going to the College Football Playoff title game, after he threw for 223 yards and rushed for 33 more to help the Fighting Irish beat Penn State 27-24 in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night.

Leonard ran for a score, rushed for another — and did all that after missing the last two minutes of the first half while being evaluated for a concussion. He was cleared to return and now is heading to the title game on Jan. 20 against either Ohio State or Texas. They'll play on Friday in the Cotton Bowl to decide Notre Dame's final opponent,

''I think our medical support team, first and foremost, did a really good job," Leonard said. "Got up a little wobbly. So, that's an indicator that they've got to take me to the tent and through all the concussion tests. We went through all the tests and they decided I was good to go back.''

Leonard went into the medical tent on the Notre Dame sideline with about two minutes left in the half after a play where he was hit by Penn State's Zane Durant and Dvon J-Thomas. It appeared Leonard hit the back of his helmet on the turf.

Leonard was replaced by Steve Angeli and Notre Dame kicked a 41-yard field goal on the final play of the half to cut Penn State's lead to 10-3.

''Steve Angeli, I mean, this is a guy who just kind of waited his turn all year and has prepared like he's a starting quarterback every single week,'' Leonard said. ''He's shown a lot of maturity and he helps me out a lot. I mean, he's the guy on the sideline who knows exactly what the defense is doing. He's a good friend of mine and I appreciate him a lot. So, for him to go in and drive them down the field for three points before the half, that was big.''

Also big: Notre Dame clearing Leonard to return. Leonard said he was evaluated against baseline tests he took earlier in the season, and those results deemed him able to return to the game.

''He's a competitor,'' Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said. ''And competitors find a way to win. That's what Riley does. That's what this team does, man. They're a bunch of competitors and they find a way.''

Lenoard led an eight-play, 75-yard drive and capped it with a 3-yard touchdown run that pulled Notre Dame into a 10-10 tie. Freeman had a 54-yard pass to Jaden Greathouse with 4:38 left to tie the game again, that time at 24-24, and Mitch Jeter's 41-yard field goal with 8 seconds left sealed the deal for the Irish.

Leonard said a halftime speech from Freeman was critical.

Leonard found Aneyas Williams for a 36-yard gain on his lone pass of the drive that opened the second half. The other seven plays were all runs, with Leonard — who rushed for 15 touchdowns this season coming into Thursday — capping it himself.

Leonard completed six of 11 passes for 63 yards and an interception in the first half. He was 9 of 12 for 160 yards after halftime, and the Irish scored 24 points over those final 30 minutes.

''We had to try to calm some things down,'' Freeman said. ''The running attack truly helped us open some things in the passing game in that second half. You know what? Riley just executed, the wide-outs executed, the O-line did their job, tight ends played well, and you find a way to win it in a game-winning field goal.''

___