Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard fought through an injury scare and a very forgettable first half to lead the Fighting Irish past Penn State in the Orange Bowl. It was a champion effort from a veteran who has had his hands on the wheel during a remarkable run to the national championship game. The Duke transfer is not often mentioned when discussing college football's elite quarterbacks but his track record and knack for winning speak much louder than any of those conversations.

Leonard does have one very prominent scouting report in his corner, though, as Fox Sports' Colin Cowherd fired up quite a comparison on X Thursday night as Notre Dame was making play after play in the fourth quarter.

Josh Allen.

It's quite a statement to make while someone is going 15-for-23 for 223 yards and a score to go with two interceptions. Leonard was also a workhorse on the ground as always, accounting for 18 carries for 35 yards and a touchdown. But the mind sees what it wants to see.

Leonard is an inch shorter than Allen and a good 20 pounds lighter. He also is not in the same stratosphere when it comes to arm strength. Yet he, like Allen, is tough as nails and, by all accounts is a fantastic leader. He's also completing passes with far more regularity than Allen did at Wyoming as that was the major concern for the then-Cowboys quarterback going into the NFL draft.

A person would have to click through a few rounds to find Leonard's name on any mock draft. Yet it doesn't matter where he's drafted as long as he can win in the NFL. And maybe he can. Probably not as spectacularly as Allen does. Then again, who can?

Cowherd might be sports' most prestigious comparison-maker so while people are firing off their jokes, it's worth at least considering that he might be onto something.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Colin Cowherd Makes Audacious NFL Comparison for Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard.