Notre Dame football relied on defense and the legs of Riley Leonard to keep their season alive on Jan. 2. The Fighting Irish are now positioned to clinch their first national championship game appearance since the 2012 season.

Riley Leonard continued to live out his childhood dreams, leading Notre Dame to 23-10 win over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals. After the game, Leonard raved about the victory.

With just under six minutes left to play in Thursday's Sugar Bowl, Notre Dame held a 23-10 lead against Georgia and faced a third-and-seven. The Fighting Irish