Riley Leonard has Notre Dame on the cusp of its first national championship in 36 years. A former star at Fairhope High School near Mobile, Leonard quarterbacked the Fighting Irish to a 27-24 victory over Penn State in the Orange Bowl College Football Playoff semifinal game on Thursday night.

Riley Leonard concedes he gave a lot of different answers when people asked him why he entered the transfer portal after last season and chose Notre Dame.

Riley Leonard took a big hit and got a big scare. He wound up ending the night with the biggest win of his college career — and now, a chance at a national championship.