NEW YORK — Jeremiyah Love delivered an outstanding performance by scoring three touchdowns, equaling a school record with his remarkable achievement of 11 consecutive games with at least one rushing touchdown. The No. 6 ranked Notre Dame squad decisively defeated No. 18 Army with a score of 49-14 during a Saturday night match held at Yankee Stadium.
As part of celebrations for the 100th anniversary of Notre Dame’s legendary “Four Horsemen,” Love stole the spotlight. The sophomore showcased his skills with rushing touchdowns of 68 and 14 yards, accumulating a total of 130 yards from seven carries. He also performed an impressive leap over a defender to grab a 6-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Riley Leonard.
Leonard not only threw for two touchdowns but was also supported by Jadarian Price, who rushed for two more scores. With this victory, Notre Dame improved their record to 10-1 and extended their winning streak to nine, solidifying their position as a contender for the College Football Playoff. The Irish, currently ranked No. 6, have consistently demonstrated their prowess, allowing 14 points or fewer in six consecutive games.
For Army, quarterback Bryson Daily ran for 139 yards and both touchdowns, bringing his total rushing touchdowns for the season to 23. Following this defeat, their record fell to 9-1, leaving only No. 1 Oregon as the remaining unbeaten team in the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Black Knights entered the game leading the nation with an impressive average of 334.9 rushing yards per game but managed only 207 against Notre Dame’s stout defense.
This victory marked Notre Dame’s 16th consecutive win against Army, in what was the first game between two ranked teams since 1958, the year of the Black Knights’ last victory. The match also commemorated the 100th anniversary of Notre Dame’s 1924 triumph at the Polo Grounds in New York, where Grantland Rice famously described the Four Horsemen with the iconic line: “Outlined against a blue-gray October sky, the Four Horsemen rode again.” This phrase was prominently displayed above Monument Park in the stadium’s outfield.
Notre Dame quickly seized control with a 14-0 lead, thanks to Leonard’s touchdown passes on their first two drives. Although Army managed to keep the ball for over seven and a half minutes during their next possession, Daily’s 4-yard touchdown run brought them to within a touchdown at 14-7 early in the second quarter. However, Love’s 14-yard touchdown run restored the Irish’s two-touchdown lead, as he tied Wayne Bullock’s long-standing record of rushing touchdowns in 11 consecutive games.
In the first half, Notre Dame scored touchdowns on four of its six drives and demonstrated their dominance by starting the second half with a bang, as Love dashed for a 68-yard touchdown on the first play, extending the score to 35-7.
For Army, this high-stakes game is merely a precursor to two critical upcoming matches. They are set to face No. 20 Tulane in the American Athletic Conference championship game on December 6, followed by their annual rivalry with Navy on December 14.
As for Notre Dame, with a roster full of offensive threats and one of the best defenses in the nation, they have not faced a closely contested match in the past two months.
The outcomes of this game could have significant implications for the AP polls. With No. 5 Indiana being defeated earlier in the day by second-ranked Ohio State, Notre Dame is poised to potentially enter the top five in the upcoming rankings. Meanwhile, Army, currently ranked No. 19, will aim to maintain their standings above Tulane in the College Football Playoff rankings, serving as a potential tiebreaker for the AAC championship host team.
Next, Army will play against UTSA at home next Saturday, while Notre Dame will visit Southern California on the same day.