Love story: No. 6 Notre Dame’s title hopes likely will hinge on the success of its star running back
By Canadian Press on August 26, 2025.
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love made highlight reels last season by hurdling anyone or anything attempting to get in his way. Those eye-popping plays helped the Fighting Irish reach the national championship game.
Now he’s back for even more at one of college football’s most storied programs.
He is being asked to carry a heavier, more well-rounded workload as No. 6 Notre Dame begins its quest to end a nearly four-decade title drought with a young, new quarterback. It’s a role he embraces.
“I’ve gotten significantly better from my freshman year,” Love said as he begins his third college season. “I would say I’m more of a physical back. I can hold off bigger defenders, partly because of my weight gain, working in the weight room.”
That’s bad news for opponents who already struggled to tackle the speedy 6-foot-4, 214-pound running back.
Love rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns in his breakout season and refused to let a sore knee — or the flu — slow him down in the playoffs. Instead, his 98-yard first-quarter TD run swung the momentum toward the Irish in their first home playoff game, against Indiana.
It also paved the way to their first title game appearance since 2012. They wound up losing that one to Alabama and lost last year to Ohio State.
But Love knows things won’t be any easier this year, and coach Marcus Freeman believes his star runner is well-equipped for the job.
“You have to watch film. You have to meet with the coaches,” Freeman said. “He’s a guy that wants to improve, wants to be better. So he’s meeting with his coaches, he’s watching extra film, and I just think he’s practicing at a higher level than I ever have seen him. He’s playing at a faster level, disciplined. I think he’s doing a really good job.”
He’ll need to, given the situation at quarterback.
Highly touted recruit CJ Carr takes over for Riley Leonard, who is now playing with the Indianapolis Colts. But Carr hasn’t thrown a college pass, meaning much of Notre Dame’s game plan almost certainly will revolve around Love.
Expectations are soaring, too.
Last week, he was named an Associated Press preseason All-American and he’s squarely in the Heisman Trophy discussion. And his first chance to impress the college football world comes on the big stage — Sunday night when No. 6 Notre Dame visits No. 10 Miami.
“He’s a great player,” Freeman said. “He’s a competitor and loves the game. You know, we’re going to find different ways to utilize getting the ball in his hands.”
That includes throwing more passes in Love’s direction.
Now that he’s healthy, the former Missouri prep star welcomes the opportunity to show people he can do it all — block, catch, maybe even test defenses by lining up in the slot.
He hopes to be every bit as versatile as another St. Louis-area native, two-time NFL rushing champion Ezekiel Elliott.
“I’m excited to showcase more of my receiving ability, because obviously everybody knows I can run,” said Love, who caught two TD passes last season. “If I’m in an open space, I feel like I can help the team.”
And, yes, he expects more of those amazing hurdles, too.
Freeman, a former defensive coordinator, knows that means Love will become the focal point of opposing defenses every week. He also believes Love’s study habits make him well-suited to handling what it takes to produce on the field while ignoring the hype.
“I don’t think anybody worries about a target being on their back,” Freeman said. “We’re the most self-motivated people, and we better be self-motivated people. So a target doesn’t mean much.”
But what he really wants is a national championship, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to help Notre Dame overcome those obstacles.
“I’ve got to do the right things every single day and just make sure I’m not setting a bad example,” Love said.
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Curt Rallo, The Associated Press
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