Our Lady It will go to College Football Playoff's first national championship game of the expanded format era with a 27-24 win over Penn State in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.
Fighting Irish kicker Mitch Jeter kicked the game-winning 41-yard field goal to cap off a back-and-forth battle between the two storied programs.
Notre Dame's comeback victory may have never been achieved had quarterback Riley Leonard not mustered the consistency to get back into the game After injury.
“He's a competitor and competitors find a way to win,” Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said in a postgame interview on ESPN immediately after the game. “It's an honor to be a part of this with him.”
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The Penn State Nittany Lions face off at the line of scrimmage against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Notre Dame Fighting Irish game in the Capital One Orange Bowl football semifinals on Jan. 9, 2025, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. Parks, Florida. (Joe Robbins/Sportswire Icon via Getty Images)
Leonard had to leave the game in the second quarter, forcing backup Steve Angeli. At that point, Notre Dame was already trailing 10-0. But Angeli helped put the Irish back in it with a field goal to give Notre Dame its first points, as the Irish went into halftime down 10-3.
But Leonard got back into the game in the second half and drove a perfect shot to tie the game. The two teams then traded score for score in a competitive second half.
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. (Photos by Sam Navarro-Imagine)
Leonard had a chance to drive the go-ahead touchdown with two minutes left, but Penn State's defense came up with a big third-down sack to force a Notre Dame punt.
Then, Allar, with a chance to lead a game-winning drive for less and perhaps put himself in the conversation for the best quarterback in the NFL Draft, returned to the field in the biggest moment of his career. At that moment, he made an interception to give the ball right back to Leonard and the Irish.
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Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) celebrates a touchdown with teammates in the second half against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Hard Rock Stadium. (Photos by Sam Navarro-Imagine)
Leonard then returned to the field and led the final drive that put Jeter in position to seal the deal.
“I trusted Jesus,” Leonard said in an interview with ESPN after the game.
Notre Dame's storied streak continues after it pulled off a historic win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in New Orleans just one day after the deadly terrorist attack that killed 14 innocent people.
The Irish will meet the winner Cotton pot Friday between Ohio State and Texas.
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