SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Notre Dame’s running back, Jeremiyah Love, made an early declaration to his teammates on Friday night that nothing could distract the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish from their pursuit in the College Football Playoff. Despite facing a chilly atmosphere, a driven opponent, and even battling an injury alongside a lingering illness that affected the team’s primary ball carrier, their determination remains unshaken.
With a period of 12 days ahead for the sophomore running back to recover before the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish take on second-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl, there’s hope that Love will be nearly at full potential when the team plays on January 1.
“I probably sound pretty terrible, but I came off of a little injury. I’m sick,” Love shared, providing insight as to why he appeared to slow down towards the end of his run, which equaled the longest in Notre Dame’s history. “I was just out of breath. I was gassed.”
Standing at 6 feet and weighing 210 pounds, Love may not initially fit the mold of a typical sprinter, having excelled in Missouri Class 5 in the 100-meter dash. Yet, he has demonstrated throughout the season just how formidable he can be, even while dealing with physical setbacks.
In the two weeks leading up to the playoff opener following Notre Dame’s regular-season finale on November 30, Love spent time rehabilitating a knee he damaged in the game against Southern California. Shortly after, he contracted an undisclosed illness. This meant that when he entered the Notre Dame Stadium tunnel for the inaugural College Football Playoff game to occur on a college campus, he was not at his strongest—especially facing the nation’s top run defense.
However, the circumstances did not affect his performance. Following a one-yard loss on his initial attempt, Love rebounded with a spectacular 98-yard touchdown run on his second touch, marking the longest run in playoff history as he observed the exhilarating chase on the stadium’s video screen.
“I’ve got the best view in the house. Every time I hand him the ball, I’m just watching, like what’s he going to do now?” remarked Irish quarterback Riley Leonard after the team’s 27-17 victory against the tenth-seeded Indiana. “It’s the little things. It’s that second or third down where he’s stiff-arming guys and getting first downs for us. He’s just a freak athlete.”
Though Love only added seven more carries for 10 additional yards and seemed to reinjure his left knee after an awkward landing while attempting to leap over an Indiana defender during the first half, the team’s success in the game provides him with additional time to recover before facing Georgia, which allows nearly 130 rushing yards per game.
In a matchup that recalls their 1980 meeting when Georgia’s victory helped secure their second of four national titles, Notre Dame (12-1) is set to challenge the Southeastern Conference champions, Georgia (11-2). Despite losing all previous encounters with the Bulldogs, the Irish aspire for a change this time as they aim to finish the season with a historic 13 wins and break their 36-year drought without a national championship, the longest since clinching their first title in 1924.
“We wouldn’t be in this situation if we didn’t have 12 wins, so I’m grateful to be part of a program and a team that has been able to accomplish this,” expressed head coach Marcus Freeman. “But you know I’m greedy, and my focus is—although I don’t want their focus to be on it—my focus is going to be on finding a way to get 13. That’s what matters.”
Love shares that sentiment as he and the Fighting Irish gear up for their next challenge. “Like I say, if we didn’t have a rushing quarterback, how many more touchdowns would this guy have?” questioned Leonard. “He’d be in (the Heisman Trophy) conversations nationwide. Obviously, I think people are starting to see how special he is.”
