Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard's faith was clearly on his mind as he played for the Fighting Irish against Texas A&M on Saturday night.
Leonard used black paint to make a cross on the left side of his face, where it remained throughout the game as the No. 7 Fighting Irish outlasted the No. 20 Aggies, 23-13.
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Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard (13) passes the ball against Texas A&M during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Sam Craft)
The quarterback, who transferred from Duke, faced off against his former Blue Devils head coach Mike Elko and completed 18 of 30 passes with 158 passing yards. He did not throw any touchdown passes. Instead, running backs Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price ran for scores.
Additionally, fans surprised Leonard with a Bible verse on his wrist. The verse was from Matthew 23:12, which reads, “For he who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
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Leonard admitted in February that his faith had been a factor in deciding which school he wanted to transfer to. The University of Notre Dame is a Catholic institution.
August 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) speaks during a postgame interview at Kyle Field against the Texas A&M Aggies. (Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports)
“Everyone I came into contact with in that city helped strengthen my faith. I can bring that here. Obviously, that's the most important thing in my life,” he told The Irish Tribune at the time. “When I go to bed at night, I don't think, 'How many touchdown passes did I throw? Did we win or lose?' I think, 'Did I improve my relationship with Jesus Christ? Did I treat my girlfriend with respect? Did I call my parents?'”
This was clearly evident on Saturday night.
August 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) attempts to pass the ball during the first quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. (Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports)
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Notre Dame will return home next week to face Northern Illinois.
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