Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes as significant underdogs in the national championship matchup.
According to ESPN BET, Ohio State enters the title game as an 8-point favorite. The Buckeyes have showcased their dominance throughout their journey to the championship, winning decisively against Tennessee, Oregon, and Texas by double-digit margins.
While Ohio State is often labeled a “sleeping giant” and seen as the clear favorite by many college football fans, Notre Dame’s quarterback had a strong message prior to the game.
Leonard took to social media to express his thoughts on the Fighting Irish’s chances of winning, posting, “Holding the pen.”
The message featured an inspiring video highlighting Notre Dame’s journey to the championship, quoting Winston Churchill: “History will be kind to me because I intend to write its pages.”
The video concludes with Leonard’s voice from an interview following the Orange Bowl, emphasizing head coach Marcus Freeman’s halftime speech: “You know, history is written by conquerors, and we’re holding the pen.”
Leonard has played a key role in guiding the Fighting Irish to a 13-game winning streak as they approach the national title game. On their way to the showdown with Ohio State, Notre Dame has achieved victories over Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff.
This season, Leonard has thrown for 19 touchdowns and amassed 2,606 yards, boasting a 66.4 completion percentage. The dual-threat quarterback has also contributed 16 rushing touchdowns, gaining 866 yards on 167 carries.
The national championship game is set to take place at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta and will be broadcast on ESPN.
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