As we approach Week 3 of the college football season, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish have already faced some challenges. The team, which began the season with aspirations of contending for the National Championship, saw those hopes take a hit last Saturday.
In Week 2, the Fighting Irish suffered a surprising 16-14 home loss to Northern Illinois. The sting of the defeat was exacerbated by the fact that Notre Dame had paid Northern Illinois $1.4 million to participate in the game.
Now, the Fighting Irish are eager to rebound, but they are dealing with some unfortunate news concerning quarterback Riley Leonard.
According to Pete Nakos of On3, Riley Leonard recently had an MRI that revealed damage to the labrum in his non-throwing shoulder.
Leonard sustained a hit during the loss to Northern Illinois that affected his performance for the remainder of the game. Over the first two games of the season, the Alabama native has completed 38 of 62 passes (61%) for 321 yards with no touchdowns and two interceptions. He has also rushed for 79 yards and one touchdown.
The Fighting Irish offense has struggled through the first two weeks, and Leonard’s shoulder injury only adds to the team’s challenges.
Currently, Notre Dame has the 13th-best odds at +8000 to win the National Championship, according to BetMGM, and these odds could change if the team suffers another loss this season.
Notre Dame leads the all-time series against Purdue with a record of 59-26-2, having defeated Purdue 27-13 in their most recent matchup in 2021.
As they head into this game, Notre Dame is a 9.5-point favorite over the Boilermakers, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The team will be looking to secure a win on the road and regain some confidence.
Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has an injured non-throwing shoulder, per @On3sports and @BGInews sources.
He's still expected to play at Purdue this weekend. https://t.co/9LVfFm3jaW pic.twitter.com/4U6tas6uUn
— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) September 10, 2024
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