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| Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) celebrates a touch down with teammates in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Hard Rock Stadium. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) |
Notre Dame Advances to First CFP National Championship Game with Thrilling 27-24 Comeback Win Over Penn State
Notre Dame secured its spot in the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship game of the expanded format era, rallying for a dramatic 27-24 victory over Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday night.
The game came down to the wire, with Fighting Irish kicker Mitch Jeter drilling a 41-yard field goal as time expired to cap a back-and-forth clash between two storied programs.
Notre Dame’s comeback story was fueled by quarterback Riley Leonard, who overcame an in-game injury to lead his team to victory.
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Penn State Nittany Lions face off at the line of scrimmage against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Penn State Nittany Lions versus Notre Dame Fighting Irish College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl on January 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) |
“He’s a competitor, and competitors find a way to win,” said Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman in a postgame interview with ESPN. “It’s an honor to be a part of this with him.”
Leonard left the game in the second quarter after an injury, leaving backup quarterback Steve Angeli to step in with the Irish trailing 10-0. Angeli managed to orchestrate a crucial field goal drive, cutting Penn State’s lead to 10-3 at halftime.
Leonard returned in the second half and immediately made an impact, engineering a touchdown drive to tie the game. From there, the two teams exchanged blows in a fiercely competitive half.
With two minutes left in the game and the score tied, Leonard and the Irish were forced to punt after a crucial third-down sack by the Penn State defense. That gave Penn State quarterback Drew Allar a chance to lead a game-winning drive and cement his NFL Draft credentials. However, Allar’s first pass of the drive was intercepted, giving Notre Dame one last opportunity.
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Penn State Nittany Lions defensive end Abdul Carter (11) celebrates a tackle on Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) in the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) |
Leonard took full advantage, leading a composed drive that set Jeter up for the game-winning field goal.
“I just trusted in Jesus,” Leonard said in a postgame interview.
Notre Dame’s storybook postseason continues after their historic Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia, which came just one day after a tragic terrorist attack claimed 14 lives.
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| Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) celebrates a touch down with teammates in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Hard Rock Stadium. (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images) |
The Fighting Irish now await the winner of the Cotton Bowl between Ohio State and Texas, who will meet on Friday, to determine their opponent in the championship game.