Notre Dame Running Back Honored for Outstanding Week 9 Performance

Notre Dame's standout running back Jeremiyah Love receives honors for an impressive Week 9 showing, further boosting the team's playoff hopes.

Oct 26, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) rushes for a touchdown during the first half against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While Jermiyah Love is Notre Dame's leading rusher this season, he hasn't been a workhorse, say, the way Audric Estime was last year or the way Kyren Williams was in 2020 and 2021.

Love has been part of a ground game by committee, which makes sense when Riley Leonard is the quarterback and Jadarian Price is also in the backfield.

Since Love only averages around a dozen touches a game, he has to make the most of them to get noticed. Well, that's exactly what the St. Louis native did in last week's showdown with Navy at MetLife Stadium.

Love only needed 12 carries to amass 102 rushing yards and the second two-touchdown game of the season. For his efficient use of snaps against the Midshipmen D, Love earned PFF's second-highest grade for a Power 4 running back in Week 9.

Highest Graded Week 9 Running Backs🔥 pic.twitter.com/t0rbrQwVYG

— PFF College (@PFF_College) October 28, 2024

More importantly, Love has been steady all season long for the 7-1 Fighting Irish.

He has scored at least one touchdown in nine consecutive games, going back to last year's Sun Bowl, reaching the end zone twice against Louisville and Navy. And his PFF season grade of 89.1 is the highest on the ND roster -- offense or defense.

According to PFF, Love is the No. 4 ranked Power 4 back behind only Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, Iowa's Kaleb Johnson, and SMU's Brashard Smith.

6️⃣4️⃣ yards to the HOUSE @JeremiyahLove's longest rushing touchdown ☘️

His 8️⃣th straight game with a rushing TD pic.twitter.com/9qKomon0gx

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) October 26, 2024

Led by Love and Leonard, the Irish boast the nation's 12th ranked rushing attack and are top six in the FBS with 26 rushing touchdowns and 5.95 yards per carry.

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