The Fighting Irish running back has been nursing a knee injury since the end of the regular season.
Jeremiyah Love showcased his talent at “75 to 80%” in Notre Dame’s College Football Playoff semifinal victory over Penn State. While his statline—11 carries, 46 yards, and one touchdown—wasn’t particularly eye-catching, his powerful two-yard touchdown run stood out as one of the key moments in Notre Dame’s march to the national championship.
Love estimated he was playing at about three-quarters of his full capacity during that game, as he told ESPN’s Pete Thamel before kickoff. Despite wearing a knee brace to support an injury he’s been managing since the regular season, Love still managed to deliver an impressive hurdle against the Nittany Lions (even though he had promised to keep his feet on the ground).
Ahead of Monday night’s national championship game against Ohio State, Love was seen without the brace during warmups and mentioned to Thamel that he felt he was now at “90–95%” for the game.
Love mentioned in a SiriusXM interview over the weekend that whether he wears the brace for the game would be a game-time decision, but it appears he’s opting to go without it.
Regardless of the brace, the Fighting Irish will rely on all of Love’s abilities in their matchup against what is likely the most talented team in the country, and one that is favored by more than a touchdown to win the national title.
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