Notre Dame star quarterback Riley Leonard returned in the third quarter of the Orange Bowl on Thursday after entering concussion protocol late the first half following a big hit. Leonard's brief absence injected some uncertainty for the 7-seed Fighting Irish in their College Football Playoff semifinal battle with 6-seed Penn State.

Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard suffered an injury vs. Penn State in College Football Playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard was ushered off the field by officials after a possible concussion in the Orange Bowl against Penn State, but returned.

No. 7 seed Notre Dame and No. 6 seed Penn State are set to revive their rivalry in the Orange Bowl on Thursday evening with a spot in the College Football Playoff National Championship on the line. This will be the first meeting between two storied programs since 2007 and just the 20th all time.

Win and you’re in. No. 6 Penn State and No. 7 Notre Dame battle it out in the Orange Bowl at Hard Rock Stadium for a spot in the National Championship Game. Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. ET on Thursday, Jan. 9 on ESPN.

Both the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Penn State Nittany Lions entered Thursday’s Orange Bowl matchup with injury questions concerning a key player.

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Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard was forced to leave the Orange Bowl late in the second quarter after he was driven to the ground.

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard left the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Orange Bowl late in the first half and was being evaluated by the Fighting Irish’s medical staff