Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love is coming off an explosive breakout campaign. The scary part? He may just be getting started.
Jeremiyah Love Gunning for RB1 Mantle
On3.writer Ari Wasserman ranked his top 10 returning players for 2025. To the surprise of more than a few, the only running back that adorns the list is Love.
On the back of a breakout sophomore season, Wasserman and the eyes of the college football world will eagerly follow and document Love’s journey into the 2025 campaign.
Aside from being the lone running back on the list, Notre Dame’s schedule does readily play into his hands. With no preseason opponents in the top 20, the Irish can build early leads before Love slams the metaphorical door and racks up the yardage that garners attention.
The soon-to-be-junior back burst onto the scene with 1,362 yards from scrimmage and 21 touchdowns to boot. Not only did Love post stellar numbers, but he presented the Irish with a three-down back capable of big plays.
With him as the centerpiece, the Irish went 14-2 and stood within a failed defensive opportunity to win the national championship. At the center of this, Love gives the Golden Domers a stabilizing force and will enter 2025 as a potential Heisman candidate.
As appears to be recent Notre Dame tradition, the Irish will rely on their third new starting quarterback in as many seasons.
One-year transfers Sam Hartman (Wake Forest) and Riley Leonard (Duke) went 24-5 during their respective stays in South Bend. During that span, Notre Dame went 4-1 in postseason games, including a CFP National Championship appearance.
With the fluidity of the transfer portal allowing teams to grab and play veterans at a whim, teams struggle to cobble together any semblance of chemistry. It appears ND views Love as a glue guy, a player who can hold a team together.
The transient nature of the portal affects every team in the Power Four. Yet, Love committed to Notre Dame in high school and shows no outward inclination to leave.
If a back posted almost 1,400 yards from scrimmage and over 20 total touchdowns, you’d surmise that he enjoyed a slew of games that saw him post prodigious numbers. However, Love’s consistency stands as a testament to his effectiveness.
His 28 grabs and two touchdowns in the passing game make him a real threat to get loose and take a swing pass to the house in the red zone.
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Jeremiyah Love helped bring the University of Notre Dame to the doorstep of a national championship as a sophomore. With notoriety comes expectations. Yet, by all indications and reports of his strong work/practice ethic, the upcoming season sees him laser-focused on the task ahead.
After just eight combined yards in the championship game, part of his 2025 approach should root in anger and a feeling of redemption. The 2025 Notre Dame Fight Irish football team’s season hangs on the feet and production of Love.
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