Marcus Freeman describes the importance of Jeremiyah Love's long touchdown run

As soon as Jeremiyah Love slipped through the B-gap and outran Indiana defensive back D’Angelo Ponds to the Hoosiers sideline, the Notre Dame sophomore running back found another gear around the 25-yard marker and was off to the races.

Thirteen seconds after getting the handoff from Irish quarterback Riley Leonard a yard deep into their own end zone, Love coasted across the Indiana goal line for a sensational 98-yard touchdown run to put Notre Dame up 7-0 with 10:57 left in the first quarter Friday night.

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Love’s touchdown opened the flood gates as the Irish scored on five of its next seven offensive possessions to take a commanding 27-3 lead in the eventual 27-17 victory over the in-state Hoosiers to win college football’s first-ever College Football Playoff home game in South Bend.

For third-year Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, Love’s score was just the shot in the arm No. 7-seeded Notre Dame (12-1) needed to win its 11th-straight game and punch its ticket to the Sugar Bowl national quarterfinal against No. 2 Georgia (11-2) on New Year’s Day (8:45 pm ET, ESPN) in New Orleans.

“Huge. Backed up situation, we just threw an interception the drive before. I think it was 0-0 at that time, just threw an interception, we get an interception on defense and then on that first play to go 98 yards was huge,” Freeman said in his postgame press conference. “For everybody, yes our offense, but for the overall confidence of our team to go up 7-0 with that type of touchdown. We know he’s not 100-percent. We’re just going to keep getting him healthy, but he showed on that play, at whatever percent he is, once he breaks through that third level, it’s hard to catch Jeremiyah Love.”

Love finished with eight carries for 108 yards and his lone touchdown as the Irish outrushed the Hoosiers 193-63 on the ground and outgained Indiana 394-278 in total offense.

Marcus Freeman reacts to tying Notre Dame single season all-time wins record

At a program with 11 national championships, it’s hard to have a season that stands out as remarkable. However, that’s exactly what head coach Marcus Freeman was able to do this season at Notre Dame, tying the single-season wins record in program history.

Now sitting at 12-1, the 2024 Notre Dame team is just the fifth team in program history to get to 12 wins in a season. That’s something that Freeman is proud of, even though his focus is still on doing what he can to win a national championship.

“You know, we wouldn’t be in this situation if we didn’t have 12 wins,” Marcus Freeman said. “So, I’m grateful to be a part of a program and a team that has been able to accomplish this. But you know I’m greedy, and my focus is — although I don’t want their focus to be on it, my focus is going to be on finding a way to get 13. That’s what matters. That’s what’s going to be important is to enjoy this thing but get ready for the next opportunity.” 

The first time Notre Dame got to 12 wins was in 1988 under Lou Holtz. Part of why the Irish weren’t able to do that until 1988 likely had to do with the length of the college football schedules and Notre Dame’s history of not playing bowl games, with one exception until 1969. Notre Dame also, of course, doesn’t have the opportunity for a conference championship game.

That 1988 season ended up being the last time the Irish won the national championship. Lou Holtz and Brian Kelly both hit the 12 win mark twice. Now, Marcus Freeman has done it for the first time.

Dan Morrison contributed to this report.