By ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer
ATLANTA — It was one night last June when Will Howard and Riley Leonard stayed up late bonding over talk about their families, faith and what life might have in store for them.
“Genuine conversation,” Leonard said Saturday.
Howard and Leonard first met two summers ago at the Manning Passing Academy but didn’t really get to know each other until seven months ago when they were assigned to be roommates at the prestigious quarterback camp in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
“We were both kind of underdogs when we met two years ago at the Manning camp, and a lot of people kind of counted us out,” Leonard said. “So to be where we are now, it kind of turns that conversation into something really cool.”
Where they are now is in Atlanta preparing to play in Monday night’s College Football Playoff championship game — Howard for Ohio State and Leonard for Notre Dame.
Shared experiences tend to draw friends closer together, and they’ve had a few. They’ve dealt with injuries. They’ve gone through the process of transferring from schools on the outside looking in during the race for national championships to schools long established in the college football hierarchy. Both brought lots of experience; neither would be considered a star.
While Howard led Kansas State to the 2022 Big 12 championship, his biggest postseason honor with the Wildcats was second team all-conference in 2023.
“I didn’t know too much about Will,” Ohio State offensive lineman Donovan Jackson said. “I didn’t really dive into K-State tape like that, but once I watched him a little bit and once he came in and started showing his leadership and how he took hold of the offense, I knew we were going to be all right.”
Leonard’s career was on the rise at Duke in 2022. He led the Blue Devils to nine wins and joined LSU’s Jayden Daniels and North Carolina’s Drake Maye as the only quarterbacks that season with at least 2,900 yards passing and 695 yards rushing.
A 4-0 start in 2023 began with an attention-grabbing win over Clemson. Then things spiraled. He injured his ankle against, of all teams, Notre Dame, and his season ended two games later when he injured his toe against Louisville.
Both quarterbacks said they left their original schools to grow as players and see if they could win a national championship. They said the more lucrative name, image and likeness opportunities at Ohio State and Notre Dame were not big factors, though both said they appreciated the extra money.
Howard has been the Buckeyes’ starter from the beginning, navigating the one-point loss at Oregon and another crushing defeat to Michigan. Ohio State’s offense has elevated its game in the CFP, with the exception of the middle part of the semifinal against Texas. In the first three playoff games, Howard completed 73.8% of his passes for 919 yards with six touchdowns and two interceptions.
“If you were to ask an 18- or 19-year-old Will Howard if he would be at Ohio State playing for the national championship, he’d probably say you’re crazy, man,” Howard said. “You’ve got to continue to believe in yourself no matter what, adapt and change. That was one of the biggest stories of my career, dealing with the change, dealing with adversity, dealing with success.”
Leonard has led the Irish on a grinding path through the playoff, a run that has extended their winning streak to 13 games. He has completed 67% of his passes for 514 yards and three TDs, with three interceptions. He also has run 43 times for 145 yards and two scores. His signature play was his dive over a Georgia defender for a crucial third-down conversion in the second round.
“He’s a guy that in the most crucial moments wants the ball in his hands, and he wants to make a play, and most of the time he does,” Irish coach Marcus Freeman said.
So here Howard and Leonard are, seven months removed from four nights as roomies to squaring off against each other in the biggest game of their lives.
“To see where we are now, it’s really cool because he’s a person I respect a lot,” Leonard said. “I always try to root for other quarterbacks in college, especially after I meet them at that camp, because you realize we’re all just dudes, all just kids trying to play the best for our teams and our universities.”
COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF CHAMPIONSHIP
No. 6 Ohio State (13-2, CFP No. 8 seed) vs. No. 3 Notre Dame (14-1, CFP No. 7 seed)
Monday, 4:30 p.m. PST (ESPN)
Odds: Ohio State by 8 1/2.
Series record: Ohio State leads 6-2.
What’s at stake?
The winner claims the national championship in the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff and longest college football season ever. Ohio State is trying for its sixth title, and first since its 2014 team won the inaugural CFP. Notre Dame is going for its 12th title, and first since 1988.
Key matchup
Ohio State quarterback Will Howard vs. Notre Dame defense. Howard has been in a groove in the playoff, and he has one of the best receiving tandems in the nation in Jeremiah Smith and Emeka Egbuka. Smith was all but shut down by Texas in the semifinal, and it’s a certainty Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden was taking notes. Golden runs an NFL-style defense with lots of moving parts, and he’s adept at making changes on the fly. The Fighting Irish are at their best when they’re in man coverage and bringing the blitz.
Players to watch
Ohio State: Running backs TreVeyon Henderson and Quinshon Judkins will be going against a defense that has allowed just 3.4 yards per carry over three CFP games. The combination of Henderson’s speed and Judkins’ physicalness can cause problems, and both are more than capable as receivers.Notre Dame: Riley Leonard is the type of quarterback that has bothered the Buckeyes. He’s a dual threat — probably a better runner than passer, especially on downfield throws. His toughness and competitiveness help him make winning plays more often than not.
Facts & figures
Ohio State is 6-2 all-time against the Irish. The Buckeyes have won six straight in the series, including 17-14 last season and 21-10 in 2022, after losing the first two meetings in 1935-36. … Notre Dame is playing its second game this season at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. It beat Georgia Tech 31-13 on Oct. 19. … A win would make the Buckeyes the only team in history to beat five top-five opponents in the same season. … The Buckeyes (977) and Irish (962) rank second and fourth in all-time wins. … Notre Dame safety Xavier Watts’ 13 interceptions over the last two seasons are the most by an FBS player. … JT Tuimoloau leads the Buckeyes with 11 1/2 sacks, with 5 1/2 coming in the three playoff games.
— The Associated Press