I'm very tall. Not intimidating, at least on the field.": Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard takes an unassuming stance on tackling situation

Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard has proven to be a difficult challenge for defenses to prepare for this season. While Leonard may not possess exceptional arm strength, he is an accurate passer and has shown himself to be elusive in the running game. Defenses have struggled to bring him down throughout the season.

One notable moment from Notre Dame's victory over Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 2 came late in the fourth quarter. Leonard ran for a crucial first down, somersaulting his way past the chains. This key play allowed the Fighting Irish to run out the clock and secure the win.

During a media session ahead of the Orange Bowl on Tuesday, Leonard discussed his uncanny ability to avoid tackles.

"I don't understand why I'm hard to tackle, honestly," Leonard said. "I don't have very good juke moves. I'm very tall. Not intimidating, at least on the field. But guys just miss. I don't really know why."

Riley Leonard has proved to be especially elusive since the start of the college football playoff. Through two games, he has been sacked just three times, while his upcoming opponent in the Orange Bowl, Penn State quarterback Drew Allar, has been sacked seven times over the same time.

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Riley Leonard and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish prepare for the Orange Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions

While Riley Leonard has proved to be elusive so far in the college football playoff, he has another challenge coming up on Thursday. Leonard and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will compete in the Orange Bowl against the Penn State Nittany Lions. It is a college football playoff semifinal matchup, with the winner earning a spot in the National Championship Game.

The Fighting Irish are entering the game on a 12-game winning streak, having only lost once this season. Their lone loss came in Week 2, 16-14 in a shocking upset against Northern Illinois.

Conversely, Penn State is only on a two-game winning streak. They won both of their CFP games but were unable to beat the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Championship Game, losing 45-37.

Most experts and sportsbooks project that it will be a close game. The spread is only set at 1.5 points. The Fighting Irish are small, -121 favorites to win. Conversely, the Nittany Lions are small, +100 underdogs to come out on top.