Riley Leonard left everything on the field in the College Football Playoff National Championship, but it wasn’t enough to overcome a red-hot Ohio State squad that handed Notre Dame a crushing 34–23 defeat. The Duke transfer turned Fighting Irish quarterback played with heart and grit, throwing for 274 yards and two touchdowns, and rushing for another, but a late interception deep in Buckeye territory sealed the Irish’s fate.
Notre Dame came out aggressive, scoring on its opening drive with a 19-yard dart from Leonard to Jayden Thomas. The Irish defense, led by All-American linebacker JD Bertrand, managed to keep Marvin Harrison Jr. in check early, but Ohio State quarterback Kyle McCord eventually found his rhythm, torching the secondary with precision passes in the second half.
The Irish clawed their way within four points midway through the fourth quarter, but a breakdown in coverage led to a game-breaking 61-yard touchdown by Emeka Egbuka. Head coach Marcus Freeman praised his team’s fight, saying, “We didn’t quit for one second. Riley gave us everything.” Despite the loss, Leonard’s performance solidified him as a Notre Dame legend in just one season. The Irish now look to reload and return, hungrier than ever.
