Notre Dame QB Leonard edges crowded field, named Orange Bowl MVP
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard is on his way to the College Football Playoff Championship — and he’s doing it as the reigning Capital One Orange Bowl Most Valuable Offensive Player.
Leonard, who transferred this season to the Fighting Irish after playing three years at Duke, completed 15 of 23 passes (65%) for 223 yards, a third-quarter 3-yard rushing touchdown and fourth-quarter 54-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Greathouse on Thursday in the 27-24 victory over Penn State.
The Irish won on a 41-yard field goal by Mitch Jeter with seven seconds left at Hard Rock Stadium. The seven-play, 19-yard drive took 26 seconds off the clock. In the final drive, Leonard rushed three times for 9 yards and threw a 10-yard completion to Greathouse.
On the postgame, on-field stage, Leonard immediately credited Greathouse — also an MVP candidate — for his contributions Thursday. Greathouse caught seven passes for 105 yards and the 54-yard touchdown grab.
Leonard also threw two interceptions, one that led to a field goal and the other that led to a touchdown. With 1:38 left in the first half, Leonard left the game for the rest of the second quarter. The ESPN broadcast reported he was evaluated for a head injury, and Irish coach Marcus Freeman said at that point he was “asymptomatic.’’
“I got up and was a little wobbly and that’s an indicator [for undergoing] “a brain cognition test],’’ Leonard said after the game. “We went through all the tests,’’ he said, adding that he was good to go for the rest of the game.
After going 6 of 11 for 63 yards, no touchdowns and one pick in the first half, Leonard completed 9 of 12 passes for 160 yards, a touchdown and interception in the final half.
The defensive MVP award went to Notre Dame’s Christian Gray, who had two tackles and the interception that gave the Irish the ball at the Penn State 42-yard line with 33 seconds left in the game. The pick afforded the Irish the opportunity to win before the need for overtime.
“At the end of the day, it’s which guys are putting their bodies on the line,’’ Leonard said. “We’re all thinking about the man beside us. We proved throughout the season that culture wins.”
Aded Freeman of Gray: “He makes plays when it matters the most.’’
Gray also had a would-be first quarter interception that was nullified when Gray was called for defensive holding. That call led to Penn State’s field goal that made it 3-0 as the quarter ended.
While Leonard was evaluated on the sideline, backup Steve Angeli completed six of seven passes for 44 yards.
“Steve Angeli is a guy who waited his turn,’’ Leonard said. “He knows exactly what the defense is doing. For him to go out and drive them down the field was big.’’
Leonard and Gray’s next challenge: the national championship game Jan. 20 against the winner of Ohio State-Texas in the other College Football Playoff semifinal.