Notre Dame QB Reveals He Prayed to Jesus during Playoff Win: ‘I Just Started Trusting the Lord’
When Notre Dame's offense began struggling Thursday night in its playoff game against Penn State, quarterback Riley Leonard says he started praying to Jesus. Leonard overcame a fourth-quarter interception as the Fighting Irish scored the game's final 10 points in a 27-24 victory over the Nittany Lions in the College Football Playoff semifinals, advancing them to the Jan. 20 national championship game against the winner of the Ohio State-Texas game.
Leonard completed 15 of 23 passes for 223 yards and one touchdown but was picked off twice as the offense struggled to find rhythm.
Notre Dame trailed 10-3 at halftime and 24-17 with five minutes left in the game.
LEONARD FINDS GREATHOUSE FOR THE 54-YARD TOUCHDOWN!
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 10, 2025
WE ARE ALL TIED UP AGAIN.#CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/eUmKvp78EJ
Asked during a post-game interview on ESPN what the offense did to get on track, Leonard referenced his faith.
"Shoot, I just started trusting the Lord," a smiling Leonard said. "I looked up and said, 'Jesus, whatever your will is for my life, I trust it 100 percent.' And I know that this offense and this team trust in Jesus and His plan for the season."
The last time Notre Dame played for a national championship was 2013. It last won a national title in 1988.
Leonard's second interception appeared to be detrimental and allowed Penn State to take a 24-17 lead with 7:55 left in regulation. But the Irish quarterback responded by throwing a 54-yard touchdown pass to Jaden Greathouse with 4:38 left -- and then took advantage of a late Penn State turnover to inch into field goal range, where Mitch Jeter booted a 41-yard kick with seven seconds left to give Notre Dame the lead.
"I shouldn't be the one on the microphone right now," Leonard said. "I didn't do my part tonight. But heck, these guys did, and they carried me throughout the entire game. Whenever there was a second of doubt in my mind, I had somebody coming up and telling me that they believed in me. So to be here on this stage, we're going to enjoy it. We've got one more left."
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman encouraged the team at halftime to keep battling, Leonard said.
"He said history is written by conquerors, and we're holding the pen -- we decide how we want to write our history," Leonard said. "And I'm a firm believer in whether you think you can or you can't do something -- you're right. We believe that we can do it, and we went out there and did it."
Leonard ended the interview the way he always does, offering a spin on the traditional "God bless."
"Jesus bless," he said.
This is great!
— Sports Spectrum (@Sports_Spectrum) January 10, 2025
Notre Dame Quarterback, Riley Leonard points to Christ on ESPN after his Orange Bowl win.
“I just trusted in the Lord. I looked up and said, Jesus, whatever your will is for my life I trust it 100 percent.”
pic.twitter.com/L1bfbyXkRK
Photo Credit: ©Instagram/riley.jleonard
Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
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Originally published January 10, 2025.
