Will Notre Dame’s 1,000-yard rusher be available to play vs. Penn State?

Notre Dame has relied heavily on the run through this point in the season, but the status of the Fighting Irish’s top ball carrier is still of note ahead of Thursday’s Orange Bowl matchup against Penn State football.

Sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love suffered a right leg injury in Notre Dame’s regular-season finale against USC. Love played in the first two rounds of the College Football Playoff, but there appears to be renewed concerns coming out of last week’s Sugar Bowl against Georgia.

The Irish’s leading rusher was spotted during the open portions of Notre Dame’s practice on Sunday. However, according to Blue & Gold’s Tyler Horka, he was wearing a “fairly significant” brace on his right knee. Additionally, Love took all of his reps with the second team.

Some good and some bad for Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love at practice today.

He didn’t sit out any reps, but he took them all with the 2nd team and wore a fairly significant brace on his knee. He fiddled with that quite a bit.

4 days til the Orange Bowl.https://t.co/d0vGCN0LFs pic.twitter.com/EMTKq1GLyf

— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) January 5, 2025

While noting that tight end Cooper Flanagan will miss the remainder of the season with a foot injury, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman commented that the rest of the roster got through the Sugar Bowl unscathed.

“But other than that, everybody else is clean,” he said on Saturday. “It was a pretty clean game in terms of injuries.”

Releasing its Orange Bowl depth chart on Saturday, Notre Dame listed Love as its co-starter along with junior running back Jadarian Price.

© MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame ranks No. 11 in rushing offense this season, compared to No. 108 passing. Love has led the way, putting up 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns. Posting six attempts for 19 yards in the Sugar Bowl, Love had his streak of 13 consecutive games with a rushing score broken against the Bulldogs.

The Irish’s third-leading rusher behind quarterback Riley Leonard, Price has totaled 720 yards and seven touchdowns this season.

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