Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love is scheduled to play against No. 6 seed Penn State in Thursday's Orange Bowl, which will give the No. 7 seed Fighting Irish and their trademark ground game a first. will be able to play at or near full capacity in the College Football Playoff semifinals. .
Love re-injured his troubled right knee late in the third quarter of Notre Dame's 23-10 win over second-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl.
He entered the medical tent twice before returning to the sideline wearing a thick brace to protect his knee.
However, Love did not make the team's injury report when coach Marcus Freeman spoke to reporters on Saturday.
“The only injury information for this game is that Cooper Flanagan will miss the remainder of the College Football Playoff with a foot injury,” Freeman said, referring to the reserve tight end. “We're going to miss Coop and we love him, but other than that, everyone else was OK. It was a pretty clean game injury-wise.”
That means Love and quarterback Riley Leonard will continue to lead the ground game, with backup running backs Jadarian Price and Aneyas as the Irish (13-1, No. 3 CFP) seek their first national championship appearance since the season. – Williams is expected to provide reinforcements. of the 2012 season.
Love did not speak to reporters Saturday and is not scheduled to address the media before playing the Big Ten runner-up Nittany Lions (13-2, No. 5). Pricing will be announced later Saturday.
How important was Love to Notre Dame's offense?
He led the Irish with 1,076 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns, averaged 7.3 yards per carry, and set a school record by rushing for a score in 13 consecutive games. The winning streak ended with the game against Georgia.
Love also set the tone for Notre Dame's first-round win over No. 10 seed Indiana with a 98-yard sprint for the first score. It was the longest TD run in playoff history and came on a day when Love was battling both the flu and a sore knee he suffered in the team's final regular-season game in Southern California.
But statistics and his on-field feats don't fully explain Love's impact.
He has thwarted 10 defenders this season, including an attempt against the Hoosiers when he aggravated a knee injury, and his ability to play well despite injury or illness has been recognized throughout the locker room. It gives the Irishman a resounding toughness. And his strength and breakaway ability only make Leonard a more dangerous option on the ground.
As a result, Notre Dame needed just 90 passing yards to defeat the Southeastern Conference champion Bulldogs in New Orleans.
As such, it seems imperative to have Love on the field if the Irish national team is to end its 36-year national championship drought. This is the longest gap between title-winning seasons since Ireland first won the title in 1924.
But even if love isn't in full force, the Irishman has other options.
Leonard already holds the single-season school record for TD runs by a quarterback (15) and needs 169 yards rushing to record his first 1,000-yard season. Price is also a breakaway threat as well as a mainstay in his return, and freshman Williams continues to strive for more, with half of his 32 carries over the past four games.
Price promises he will be ready for whatever is asked of him.
“I always feel like I could have done more every game,” Price said. “The good thing about this win is that I have another chance, so I will do my best to perform even better.”
This combination has caused much embarrassment for Notre Dame's opponents, already on a 12-game winning streak that has produced the first 13-win season in school history.
Now, Penn State faces another concern — the health of All-American defensive end Abdul Carter. He left the 31-14 Fiesta Bowl victory over third-seeded Boise State with a left arm injury. Coach James Franklin suggested Saturday that Carter's availability may be limited.
“He was doing great, his attitude was great, his mentality was really good,” Franklin said. “Really, it's going to depend on how he feels and how much he practices. I don't think there's anything that will prevent him from playing at the moment. That's the way he can play.”
