A bold takeaway: Jeremiyah Love carried Notre Dame’s 2025 season to the brink of Heisman glory, but the trophy ultimately slipped away. Yet his effort solidified his standing as one of the program’s most electric talents in recent memory.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love finished third in the Heisman Trophy race, trailing Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia. This marked the closest a Notre Dame player has come to the award since Manti Te’o finished as the runner-up in 2012. Love earned 46 first-place votes and 157 second-place votes.
The conclusion of Love’s journey, both individually and for Notre Dame as a team, does not diminish the exceptional season that propelled the St. Louis native to Heisman finalist status.
Love concluded 2025 with 1,372 rushing yards on 199 carries (a 6.9-yard average) and added 27 receptions for 280 yards, giving him 1,652 yards from scrimmage. He matched Audric Estimé’s program record with 18 rushing touchdowns and set a Notre Dame mark with 21 total touchdowns.
While these numbers alone might not scream Heisman, Love’s impact in New York as a finalist stemmed from his status as the most electric playmaker in college football that year.
He was a threat to score on every touch, delivering highlight-reel runs—scoring from 94, 48, 46, 45, and 68 yards in November alone. Whether via a sharp spin move, a blistering burst through a narrow gap, or a power move that shrugged off a tackle while being dragged, Love delivered jaw-dropping moments with every carry.
In his third season in South Bend, Love also won the Doak Walker Award, recognizing the nation’s best running back, making history as Notre Dame’s first recipient of the honor. He made a compelling case to be considered college football’s most outstanding player.
Love indicated that 2025 was likely his final season with the Fighting Irish, though he left room for the possibility of a fourth year. If he moves on to the NFL, he’s likely to be a first-round pick, potentially even within the top 10.
"I think he brings a lot of confidence to everybody in our program," Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman said after the season. "I’m just so proud of the football player he’s developed into, but more importantly the man he’s become. Now I’ve got to convince him to come back for one more year."
Odds are Love’s gold-helmet days are behind him. Still, Irish fans can rest easy knowing they witnessed perhaps the greatest running back in Notre Dame history and one of the most impactful players to wear the blue-and-gold.
