Jeremiyah Love’s Incredible 98-Yard Run… in His Own Words!
When Jeremiyah Love Made College Football Playoff History
On a cold December night in South Bend, the crowd at Notre Dame Stadium witnessed a moment destined to live forever in college football lore. The Notre Dame Fighting Irish were locked in a tense College Football Playoff opening-round battle against Indiana when sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love took a hand-off near his own goal line and made history — sprinting 98 yards down the sideline for a touchdown that would redefine both his season and his legacy.
It was a play that started like any other: a simple inside-zone run designed to give the Irish breathing room. But within seconds, it turned into one of the most extraordinary moments in the program’s storied past. Love’s run tied the longest rush in school history and set the record for the longest touchdown in College Football Playoff history.
As the stadium erupted, the television commentators barely had time to process what had happened. But for Love, every step had meaning — every second, a memory burned into his mind.
“I remember seeing the defensive end crash inside,” Love recalled in a post-game interview. “Our left tackle sealed his block perfectly. I saw a sliver of daylight, hit the hole, and suddenly there was no one in front of me. I could hear the crowd, but at the same time, everything went silent. I just told myself, ‘Don’t look back.’”
When he crossed the goal line, Notre Dame’s sideline exploded. Teammates swarmed him, helmets slapped, arms thrown around his shoulders. The scoreboard read 98 yards, six points, and a seismic shift in the game’s momentum.
Love’s run didn’t just extend Notre Dame’s lead — it energized the entire roster. The Irish went on to defeat Indiana 27-17, securing their first College Football Playoff victory in school history. Yet the real story wasn’t just about points or records. It was about how one player’s composure under pressure reflected a team’s identity: resilient, fearless, and determined to reclaim its place among college football’s elite.
“When You’re Backed Up That Deep, You’ve Got Nothing to Lose.”
Later that week, Love was asked what was running through his head before that snap. His answer revealed a maturity beyond his years.
“When you’re sitting on the two-yard line in a playoff game, it’s easy to play it safe,” he said. “But Coach [Marcus] Freeman always tells us — trust the work. We’ve trained for that moment all year. I just wanted to show that we could turn defense into offense, that we weren’t afraid of the big stage.”
That stage — the expanded College Football Playoff — was uncharted territory for Notre Dame. For years, critics questioned whether the Irish could compete with the SEC or Big Ten powerhouses. Love’s run became a symbolic answer.
“That play was more than a touchdown,” Freeman later said. “It was a statement. It said Notre Dame belongs here.”
From Promise to Proof
Jeremiyah Love arrived in South Bend with promise — a four-star recruit from Missouri known for track-star speed and quiet confidence. But in 2024, he became proof of concept. His breakout season included multiple 100-yard games and key contributions in high-pressure moments. Still, no one could have predicted that his most iconic run would come on college football’s biggest stage.
Analysts later broke down the play: 21 miles per hour top speed, perfect blocking, and just enough patience to let the lane develop. But as Love himself says, the real key wasn’t technique — it was belief.
“You train all season for 1-yard gains, 3-yard gains,” he said with a grin. “But when the moment comes, you have to believe that the next play could change everything. That’s football. That’s life.”
A Moment That Changed the Program
The aftermath was immediate. Social media exploded with clips of the 98-yard run. Former Notre Dame legends like Jerome Bettis and Rocket Ismail praised the play as “instant classic” material. ESPN analysts debated whether it was the single most impactful rush in playoff history.
Beyond the buzz, though, the moment anchored something deeper: a shift in how the Irish saw themselves.
“When Jeremiyah crossed that line, I think every guy on the roster felt it,” said quarterback Riley Leonard. “It wasn’t just a highlight. It was proof that we can finish what we start.”
By the time Notre Dame’s playoff run ended, Love had accumulated over 1,400 rushing yards on the season and cemented himself as one of the most explosive backs in college football. His 98-yard sprint became more than just a record — it became a rallying cry for a program chasing its first national title in decades.
“It’s About Heart, Not Headlines.”
In the months that followed, when asked how he wanted fans to remember that play, Love’s answer was pure humility.
“It’s not just my run,” he said. “It’s the O-line that gave me that lane, the coaches who trusted me, and the fans who believed in us even when we were backed up against our own goal line. That play belongs to all of us.”
Today, as Notre Dame continues its push toward another postseason berth, the echo of that run still lingers. For younger players, it’s a blueprint. For the fan base, it’s a memory that rekindled pride. And for Jeremiyah Love, it’s a reminder that history is built in moments when preparation meets opportunity.
“That night,” he said quietly, “I didn’t just run 98 yards. I ran into history.”
