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SOUTH BEND, Ind. — Jeremiyah Love reached the endzone for the third time Saturday and knew exactly what to do next. As his Notre Dame teammates surrounded him in the corner, he turned his body to the left and hit the pose synonymous with some of the best college football players ever.

It’s obvious by now. Love’s vying for the Heisman Trophy.

The junior running back encapsulates everything Fran Brown desires in a Syracuse player: a homegrown talent that evolves into a superstar. Love jumped onto the national scene as a sophomore, helping ND to the national title game with over 1,000 rushing yards in 2024.

In what could be his final game at Notre Dame Stadium, he padded his Heisman campaign and NFL Draft stock while helping No. 9 Notre Dame (8-2, Independent) obliterate Syracuse (3-7, 1-6 Atlantic Coast) 70-7 for SU’s worst loss since the 19th century. Love totaled 171 rushing yards on three touchdowns while tallying an absurd 21.4 yards per carry. The performance brought Love to nearly 1,300 yards on the season and 20 touchdowns.

The proof is in the pudding. Love will likely find himself in New York City come Dec. 13. Everyone knows it now. Brown included after a monumental loss for his program.

“Hats off to that running back. I think he’s the Heisman,” Brown said postgame. “We just wanted to tackle. What made it difficult is, he’s the best running back in the country. So I think it’s difficult for everyone to tackle, but it probably looked worse for us today.”

Entering the game, Syracuse knew Love was going to cause problems. Once SU fell behind 21-0, Love and the Fighting Irish offense finally touched the field for the first time with 7:08 to go in the first quarter. Love quickly made his presence felt, darting up the right sideline past multiple Syracuse defenders for a 45-yard touchdown, extending ND’s lead to 28-0.

“It’s a confidence that you have when he’s on the field, he has the ball in his hands and he’s on the team,” Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said postgame. “Because he’s consistent.”

Notre Dame, despite its rich history, hasn’t produced a Heisman Trophy winner since wide receiver Tim Brown in 1987. As part of Love’s campaign for the award recognizing the top player in the country, ND Athletics produced a flyer with Love’s 2025 statistics for each media member attending Saturday’s game. The poster highlights his national ranks and numbers against AP Top 25 opponents.

While it’s been 38 years since a Heisman hailed from South Bend, and 13 since an ND player was a finalist, Love is a budding superstar. The four-star recruit out of St. Louis, Missouri, even has a comic book. “Jeremonstar Comics” matches his interest in anime, an affinity that Derrick Pitts — his running backs coach at Christian Brothers College High School (MO) — said he’s shown since his prep days.

To Freeman, there’s no question his running back should be in the Heisman conversation. A few weeks back, Love recognized the hype he’s received for the award, but noted that the outside noise isn’t fazing him.

“I see some stuff. It’s good to see. But I try to just keep everything just as straight as possible,” Love said. “I got to finish the rest of the season and perform good. And hopefully I have a chance at going to New York and winning the Heisman.”

The hype is understandable. Whether it’s the 98-yard run against Indiana, the defender-carrying touchdown versus Penn State or the recent spin cycle against Pittsburgh, it’s obvious to see why there’s love for Love.

Jeremiyah Love evades a Syracuse defender on a carry. On eight carries, Love doubled his previous best yards per carry mark, averaging 21.4. Jacob Halsema | Staff Photographer

Against the Orange, Love tallied a season-low eight carries, but more than doubled his best yards per carry mark. Following the first-touch score, Love bullied Syracuse more with a nasty stiff arm along the left sidelines. A 16-yard rush split through the middle of the defense set up another score for Love, this time from 14 yards out.

Love admitted postgame he thought of hitting the Heisman pose after his second score. He had already done it a few weeks prior against Boston College. Ultimately, he decided the score wasn’t “good enough,” and he’d wait for a better one.

An embarrassment of riches poured into Love’s itinerary, allowing him to decide whether or not to declare himself as the best in the country. How did he get to this level?

His turbo speed and explosiveness were built through his track experience. His high school track coach, James Gillespie, said he first saw Love when a kid on the team showed him a video of the running back dunking a basketball at 5-foot-10. His freshman track season was cut due to COVID-19, but as a sophomore, he participated in the 100-meter dash, long jump and the four-by-one.

“I think he was ready for college athletics like sophomore year of high school,” Gillespie told The Daily Orange. “I really believe that.”

Just minutes before Love won the Missouri state title for the 100-meter dash as a senior, Gillespie remembers a rainstorm pouring down. When Gillespie checked in with him, Love said he loved the rain, embracing the climate. Meanwhile, on the football field, Love emerged as the top player in the state.

Pitts recalls a time in Love’s junior year when nagging injuries were set to leave him out of a game against powerhouse East St. Louis. Love ended up playing and making a game-altering run down the sidelines.

Fast forward a few years, and Love is still doing the same things. On the third play of the second half, with ND leading 49-0, Love ran straight through the heart of Syracuse’s defense and outran the secondary. Instead of his signature heart celebration, Love opted for the same pose as NYU’s Ed Smith in the 1930s.

The Beatles’ 1967 hit “All You Need Is Love” blared in the background. It was his final snap of the day, as he spent the rest of the game soaking in the South Bend crowd from the sidelines. A possible College Football Playoff First Round home game would return Love and the Fighting Irish to Notre Dame Stadium. But with ND’s independent status, nothing is guaranteed.

Love mentioned postgame that he recently spoke with Derrick Henry, the last running back to win the Heisman Trophy in 2015, and Christian McCaffrey, a runner-up that same year. SU has faced eight players during their Heisman season all-time, with the most recent being Lamar Jackson in 2016. Love looked the part, yet knows it’s his impact on Notre Dame’s success that could win him the award.

“I’m a guy who elevates my team and inspires us to do great things,” Love said postgame. “I’m not an individual by any means. When I step foot on the field and I’m playing for my brothers, I’m doing everything I can to see them succeed.”

Syracuse’s defense has been porous all season. Saturday’s crushing topped the list. But even this wasn’t its fault. In his quest for immortality, Love has tormented teams all year. The Orange were simply his latest victim.

Published on November 22, 2025 at 9:28 pm
Contact Aiden at: amstepan@syr.edu | @AidenStepansky