(WHTM) – Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard exited the Orange Bowl with an apparent injury late in the first half, but returned to score an opening second half drive touchdown after being evaluated for a concussion.
Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman told ESPN that Leonard was asymptomatic and cleared to return coming out of halftime.
Steve Angeli came in to back up Leonard with a little over a minute in the first half for the Fighting Irish down 10-0 to the Nittany Lions. Angeli was almost immediately sacked by the Nittany Lions, who had three sacks in the first half.
Freeman said he was confident in Angeli if he needed to play the remainder of the game.
Penn State scored the first points of the game early in the second quarter with a field goal and later picked up a Nick Singleton touchdown. Notre Dame picked up a last second field goal in the first half with Penn State leading 10-3.
Penn State rushed for 141 yards in the first half and Drew Aller threw for just 53 yards. Tight end Tyler Warren continued his historic season with his 100th catch, making him only the fourth tight end in FBS history to reach that mark.
Zakee Wheatley also picked up an interception for the Penn State defense.
At halftime, ESPN analyst Nick Saban said Penn State was “controlling the line of scrimmage.”
Notre Dame offensive lineman Anthonie Knapp also left during the first half with a lower body injury.
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