Every season in college football gifts fans with one or the other underdog. This season chances reign supreme for Notre Dame Fighting Irish QB Riley Leonard. As Notre Dame took over the Texas A&M Aggies during the August 31st showdown, HC Marcus Freeman’s star QB Leonard emerged as an absolute stunner wiping out the rivals. Even though his rage was spotted right from the beginning, it’s his last-minute heroics that stole the show. While the 2024 season has been all about Shedeur Sanders, Carson Beck, and Jaxson Dart, Leonard emerges as the new favorite fans are going gaga over.

As Leonard took the field against Texas, it was evident that he was glued to his mission to lead his new team back to the College Football Playoff. The QB soared high with confidence in exercising his talents to lead the Fighting Irish to victory. Leonard’s skills came forward as he gifted Notre Dame an 8-play, 85-yard drive capped by a 21-yard touchdown run. Wondering what’s the big deal about it?

It happened when only 1 minute 54 seconds was left for the game to get over. But Leonard maintained his composure even in the crucial moment. The expectations were not much from Leonard who transferred to Fighting Irish this offseason after his three-year-long stint at Duke. But during his very debut run, he knew exactly what Notre Dame needed, an offense clean-up. On Saturday night he left his program proud by throwing for 158 yards and rushing 63 yards. 

The HC Marcus Freeman puffed out his chest, bragging about the last-minute sorcery, starring none other than Leonard. “I’ve got a lot of confidence in a guy like Riley Leonard. At the end of the game, put the ball in his hands and he makes good decisions to lead this offense to victory,” claimed the HC. And hereby, the QB’s fan club kept multiplying. 

Fans celebrating the Riley Leonard storm 

Even though there had been speculations surrounding the QB now that he is new in the Notre Dame hood, he was powerful enough to send shivers down the rivals, “Texas A&M has no answer for Riley Leonard and his QB powers. Notre Dame needs to stick with it.” The QB made the right use of Jeremiyah Love’s speed that came with the 21-yard touchdown as another fan commented, “That third down completion early on in the drive from Riley Leonard sparked the Irish from there. Quite the drive for the new Notre Dame quarterback. And Jeremiyah Love runs with such conviction. Clutch score.”

Another fan took pride in Leonard’s high school Fairhope Alabama which instilled within the QB all the essential skills that helped him with the big win on August 31, “riley leonard is fairhope alabama 251 made. we are made for these moments. what a drive. we played road games at daphne, foley, & spanish fort…college station is light.”

The QB’s talents left fans to draw parallels with New York Giants’ Danny “Dimes” Jones, “Riley Leonard reminds me so much of a yassified Daniel Jones.” “Riley Leonard has that “commuter pinballing through rush hour crowd” run style,” his running power gives the QB that X-factor that helps him to stand out. With this, Riley Leonard just hit the reset button on Marcus Freeman’s championship dreams. How do you think the future is going to pan out for the young star? Let us know in the comments below.