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USA Today via Reuters

USA Today via Reuters

Alright, let’s set the scene. Notre Dame and Ohio State are locking horns for the natty on January 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but before the Irish could book that ticket, QB Riley Leonard had to go through it in the Orange Bowl against James Franklin’s Penn State.

Down 10-3 at halftime, with fans biting their nails and the offense stuck in reverse, things weren’t looking good. To make it worse, Leonard took a hit that had folks thinking his night was over. Concussion protocols had everyone bracing for backup QB Steve Angeli to take the wheel. But nah, Leonard? He’s built different. A lil concussion ain’t gonna stop Riley Leonard from slinging that pigskin. Maybe CTE would do. Anyway, the man came back in the second half like he was ready for war.

 

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Notre Dame’s first drive out the gate was all grind. The run game chewed up yards, and Leonard took it upon himself to get in the end zone. First try? Stopped three yards short. Second try? Touchdown. But wait—why did Leonard look so heated after that first attempt? ESPN kept it moving like nothing happened, but Rick Kimball from Irish Sports Daily caught the moment that made fans lose their minds.

The photo? Straight-up wild. A Penn State defender, deep in the pile, reaching where no man should be reaching—right into Riley Leonard’s groin. Well, fans didn’t just notice—they took the gloves off and dragged Penn State all over IG.

But hey, Leonard wasn’t about to let that stop him. He shook it off, balled out with 223 passing yards and two total touchdowns, and dragged Notre Dame to their first title shot since 1988. Meanwhile, Penn State? They’re catching L’s online harder than they caught them on the field.

What’s your perspective on:

Did Penn State cross the line, or is this just part of the game?

Have an interesting take?

Fans on IG nuked Penn State for this wild moment

When ALLCFB shared the now-infamous photo on Instagram on January 11th, the comment section literally exploded. Fans came armed with memes, a whole lotta Sandusky references, and unapologetic slander. Here’s a taste of the chaos for you all!

The fans didn’t hold back at all. “Just what I expected from Penn State.” If you dig into Penn State’s past, you’ll find enough sc-ndalous headlines to fill a tabloid. Grabbing Leonard? Just another day in Happy Valley, apparently.

Another IG user commented, “Penn State ain’t beating those allegations.” Short, savage, and dripping with sarcasm. This comment implies Penn State’s reputation precedes them—and not in a good way. And Penn State ain’t gonna ignore those allegations.

This user bought lil flashbacks of 2016 Fiesta-Bowl. “This reminds me of that one play where Clemson’s Christian Wilkins straight-up groped an Ohio State player in the 2016 Fiesta Bowl.” Remember when Christian Wilkins, now a Raiders defensive lineman, got flagged for grabbing Curtis Samuel? Penn State just earned themselves a spot in the same hall of infamy.

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This fan went low-key hard on reaction, “Vote to take Penn State football away.” Extreme? Maybe. But this commenter seems to think it’s the only way to avoid these kinds of incidents. Can’t grope opposing QBs if your program doesn’t exist, right? James Franklin’s squad should focus on keeping their eyes JUST on the prize!

At last, “Thought he was in the locker room.” Oh boy. The Internet never forgets. This one cuts deep, referencing Penn State’s past controversies involving locker room incidents. Micah Parsons probably doesn’t appreciate the callback, but fans are ruthless.

Through all the madness, Riley Leonard proved why he’s that guy. Notre Dame needed a leader, and Riley Leonard clutched up and delivered—even after Penn State tried to snatch more than just a win. Now, the Irish are about to show up for the natty and hopefully ready to end a 35-year title drought. Penn State? Well, they’re gonna have to spend the offseason scrubbing their name off the internet because fans are never letting this season go.

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Riley Leonard: 1. Penn State: Zero. And James Franklin 1-18 against top 5. Notre Dame is up next, and the Irish finna take that championship energy with them against the mighty Ohio State Buckeyes.

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Did Penn State cross the line, or is this just part of the game?