“So proud and excited”: Riley Leonard’s GF Molly Walding pens heartfelt note ahead of Notre Dame-Ohio State showdown

Molly Walding and the rest of the Fighting Irish fan base are rooting for Riley Leonard and his teammates as they take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in this year's national football championship game.

Ahead of the matchup, Walding penned a heartfelt note for her boyfriend, Riley Leonard. She said via her latest Instagram post:

"Gameday! So proud and so excited (if I haven’t said it enough already!)!!!!!!! Cheering @riley.jleonard on for the rest of my days!!💚☘️💕🎉😊"

Molly Walding is a public relations student and the girlfriend of Notre Dame Fighting Irish star quarterback Riley Leonard. Walding has been a student at Auburn University since 2021.

Walding and Leonard started dating in 2017. They first met in Fairhope, Alabama, where they grew up.

The couple have remained close despite the distance between their colleges. Walding works as a student recruiter for Auburn, while Leonard is one of the best collegiate quarterbacks in the country, along with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Riley Leonard aims to end his collegiate career on a high

Riley Leonard has enjoyed an impressive college football career, first with the Duke Blue Devils and now with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. He can go out with a bang as his side face off against the Ohio State Buckeyes.

Leonard has been thoroughly impressive in his senior year and has been instrumental in the Fighting Irish's run to the big game. The former Blue Devils standout has been accurate with his arm and dangerous with his legs.

He's one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in college football and will aim to show up against the Buckeyes.

Leonard compiled a stat line of 2,606 passing yards, 19 passing touchdowns and eight interceptions in his senior season. He has added 167 carries, 866 rushing yards and 16 rushing touchdowns for good measure. Leonard's 77.7 quarterback rating ranks him at 15th in the country heading into the CFP national championship game.

Leonard made the 2024 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Top 25 list and was a 2024 Comeback Player of the Year Award semifinalist. He'll aim to cap off a fascinating collegiate football journey by lifting the national championship. A win in the big game could do wonders for his stock, as he's likely to declare for the 2025 NFL draft.