SOUTH BEND, Ind. – Junior running back Jeremiyah Love earned Doak Walker National Running Back of the Week honors for his showstopping performance in the 34-24 win over No. 20 USC. The Doak Walker Award honors college football’s top running back.
Love posted one of the best running back performances by a player in the nation this season, notching 24 carries for 228 rushing yards (9.5 yards per carry) and one touchdown, including a 63-yard long rush, adding five receptions for 37 yards (43 yards after catch).
Love totaled both the most rushing yards by any player in the nation this weekend (228), and the most scrimmage yards (rushing + receiving) of any player in the nation this weekend (265).
His 265 scrimmage yards Saturday were the most by any player in the country all season against a ranked opponent, and the second-most of any player this season against any opponent. Similarly, his 228 rushing yards are the most by a player against a ranked opponent this season, and the third-most by a player against any opponent.
Love set a new Notre Dame record, totaling the most rushing yards by a Notre Dame player at Notre Dame Stadium ever. He posted the sixth-most single-game rushing yards in Notre Dame history.
He totaled 134 rushing yards in the first half alone. It marked the most first-half rushing yards for a Notre Dame player since Julius Jones’ 171 yards in the win over Stanford on November 29, 2003.
Love was responsible for 15 of Notre Dame’s 23 first downs on the evening. Altogether, Love and Notre Dame compiled 306 rushing yards in the game.
He scored his 33rd total touchdown and 27th rushing touchdown of his career on Notre Dame’s first drive of the game. With the score, he moved into eighth overall for total touchdowns in Notre Dame history and is now tied for ninth all-time in rushing touchdowns in program history with Jerome Bettis.
Love’s 265 yards from scrimmage are the most by a Notre Dame player against USC since at least 1996 and the second-most against any opponent since 1996 (Golden Tate, 275 against Washington on October 3, 2009).
Notre Dame’s season-high 306 rushing yards were the most USC has given up in a game all season. The Irish had 182 of those in the first half, which were 11 more rushing yards than USC had given up in a game all season.
It also marked the 11th time that both Love and fellow Irish RB Jadarian Price have rushed for a touchdown in the same game, and the fifth time this season, the most by a running back duo in Notre Dame history.
Love ranks second in the nation in total touchdowns (12), fourth in total points (72), fourth in scoring (10.3 per game), fifth in all-purpose yards (136.43 per game), fifth in rushing yards (758), seventh in rushing yards per game (108.3) and eighth in rushing touchdowns (9).