Notre Dame football is not the most glamorous team in the country. They don’t have a powerful passing attack. This program is defined by its toughness and physicality. Those qualities were on full display during a decisive touchdown against Penn State in Thursday night’s 27-24 win in the College Football Playoff Semifinals.
Star running back Jeremiah Love, who battled through a knee injury he maintained in Battle Irish’s Sugar Bowl victory over Georgia, showed tremendous determination. Early in the fourth quarter, the sophomore pushed through contact and bulldozed his way into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown. The impressive play gave Notre Dame its first lead of the game and informed everyone of Love’s gret.
Chaos followed the result, as both teams landed significant blows on each other in the final quarter. Love’s TD deserves fair recognition though. And that’s what it got from Fighting Irish fans.
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Jeremiah Love’s gutsy TD gets big reactions from the Notre Dame football fandom
“Amazing performance!” @KingUbaid604 posted on X. “Love is a beast and only knows forward!!” @gorebashd commented. “Fantastic!!!” said @robmcguire4372. “Huge race!! Let’s go!!” When a player puts his body on the line, especially when he’s already hit, the public tends to respond with appreciation and amazement.
This Orange Bowl clash featured plenty of memorable moments, but Love’s dashing run will make the rounds. The 19-year-old running back had 45 yards against Penn State and rushed for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns in the 14 games before that. Notre Dame football is rightly noted for its defense, and quarterback Riley Leonard gets a lot of attention for his amazing mobility, but Jeremiah Love is an integral part of the program’s momentous 2024 season.
He will do his best to get as healthy as possible for a national matchup against either Ohio State or Texas on Jan. 20. South Bend is sincerely grateful for his effort, but fans sincerely hope Love has a power run or two left in the tank for what will be the biggest game Notre Dame has played in more than a decade.
Alex’s house is a sports journalist covering the NFL, NBA and MLB for ClutchPoints, bringing a unique writing voice thanks to his deep knowledge of New York sports. Alex lives in Connecticut after receiving his journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island.
