Ahead of their showdown against No. 6 seed Penn State in Thursday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal at the Capital One Orange Bowl, seventh-seeded Notre Dame looks like it will have its star player on the field.
When speaking at a news conference on Wednesday, Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman updated the status of the team’s sensational RB Jeremiyah Love.
According to ESPN’s Pete Thamel, Freeman said Love “will be good to go” for the game after suffering a right knee injury against No. 2 seed Georgia in the Allstate Sugar Bowl.
Love suffered the injury during the third quarter of the 23-10 win over the Bulldogs. He injured the same knee in the team’s regular-season finale against USC and only had six carries for 19 yards in abbreviated action during the Sugar Bowl.
Love’s availability for the game is crucial if the Fighting Irish will have a shot at the program’s first national title since 1988. His 1,076 rush yards and 18 TDs (two receiving) lead the team. Quarterback Riley Leonard rushed for 80 yards against Georgia, but Love’s consistency — seven games with at least 90 rush yards — cannot go unnoticed.
Aside from the shocking loss to Northern Illinois on Sept. 7, the Fighting Irish have won 12 of their other 13 games by double figures. According to TeamRankings, Notre Dame’s defense ranks second in the country, allowing only 13.6 PPG, while each of the remaining semifinal teams is in the top five.
As the two storied programs prepare for their 20th all-time meeting, they have a head-to-head record of 9-9-1. With their star running back on the field, a stellar defense and a spot in the CFP National Championship Game on the line, the Irish have to like their chances.
