Football is more interesting when the Cowboys are good. Basketball is more interesting when the Celtics, Lakers and Knicks are good. And college football is more interesting — much, much more interesting — when Notre Dame is good. And even more so when the Fighting are very, very good.

Throughout their Playoff journey to the championship game, quarterback Riley Leonard was a standout leader. Despite facing a late hit in the second quarter against Penn State and needing to clear concussion protocol,