MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – Notre Dame quarterback Riley Leonard began the second half of Thursday’s College Football Playoff semifinal against Penn State after clearing concussion protocol at halftime, coach Marcus Freeman told ESPN’s Molly McGrath, as he came out of the locker room.

After receiving medical clearance to return to the game, Leonard led the No. 7 Fighting Irish with an eight-play, 75-yard touchdown drive on the first possession of the second half. He scored on a 3-yard run to bring the Irish into a 10-10 tie with 10:46 left in the third quarter.

Leonard, a senior transfer from Duke, was injured after throwing an incomplete pass to Jordan Faison with 1:35 left in the second quarter. He was hit by Nittany Lions defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas. The back of Leonard’s helmet appeared to bounce off the turf at Hard Rock Stadium.

Backup quarterback Steve Angeli, a sophomore from Westfield, New Jersey, finished the half for the Irish. On the drive, he completed 6 of 7 passes for 44 yards.

Mitch Jeter hit a 41-yard field goal on the final play of the half, cutting Penn State’s lead to 10-3. The key play in the scoring was Riley’s 36-yard pass down the right sideline to tailback Aneyas Williams.

While Leonard returned, his top blindside protector, starting left tackle Anthonie Knapp, was out for the rest of the game with a sprained ankle, McGrath reported. After rolling up, Knapp left the field and went straight to the locker room. He showed up after halftime wearing a hiking boot.

Senior Tosh Baker replaced Knapp at left tackle.

Knapp, a true freshman who earned multiple All-America freshman honors, moved into the starting lineup after projected starter Charles Jagusah suffered a torn pectoral muscle early in preseason camp. Jagusah returned to practice in December and entered Thursday night’s game at guard, filling in for Rocco Spindler and making a crucial block on Leonard’s touchdown run.