The stage is set for a historic showdown as the Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepare to face the Ohio State Buckeyes in tonight’s National Championship Game.
In just a few hours, history will be made as one of the two legendary programs will once again be crowned champions.
While the Buckeyes enter as clear favorites, the Irish have proven throughout their playoff run that games are not played on paper for a reason.
Notre Dame’s journey to this pivotal game has been fueled by their dominant defense and the exceptional play of transfer quarterback Riley Leonard.
Leonard’s ascent hasn’t gone unnoticed, and his recent media appearances have offered fans a glimpse into his mindset and relationships off the field.
During an appearance on The Rich Eisen Show, Leonard shared an intriguing detail about his ongoing connection with football royalty: Archie Manning.
Host Rich Eisen highlighted a humorous moment involving the Manning family.
“You mention Eli Manning, I’m sure you’re aware you wound up in his Twitter feed the past week, Riley. Did you see this one? It’s a text from Archie Manning saying, ‘FYI Riley Leonard and Will Howard were roommates at Manning Passing Academy last summer. – Archie.’ And Eli tweeted out with that text, with a screen grab saying, ‘Thank goodness my Dad writes his name after he sends me a text.’ Pretty funny stuff, man.”
Leonard laughed in response. “It is, it is, and Archie’s a great guy. We’ve actually been texting every day since the Sugar Bowl. Archie’s just a great guy. After every text, he signs his name – every single time – even if it’s just two minutes apart. He’s even sent me pictures of me and Will Howard at the Manning Passing Academy. It’s been pretty special.”
Leonard also spoke about his relationship with Ohio State quarterback Will Howard, who was his roommate during the prestigious Manning Passing Academy.
“We’ve known each other the past two years.” Leonard shared. “Got to know him at the Manning Passing Academy. First and foremost, he’s an extremely competitive guy, but a God-fearing man. Like he’s a person I’ve really respected for a long time, and to see all the success he’s had is really cool.”
With the national championship on the line, Leonard and Howard are set to put their mutual admiration aside as they lead their teams into battle.
For Leonard, the journey has already been filled with memorable moments, from building bonds with legends like Archie Manning to taking the Fighting Irish further than anyone imagined.
As kickoff approaches, the stakes couldn’t be higher, but Leonard remains focused on the golden opportunity he and the team have to etch their names into college football history forever.
What’s your prediction for the game? … Do you give Leonard and the Irish a chance at pulling off the upset???
