Notre Dame’s Jeremiah Love sets College Football Playoff record with 98-yard TD run against Indiana

On By Littum

SOUTH BEND, INDIANA - DECEMBER 20: Jeremiah Love #4 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish runs the ball 98 yards for a touchdown during the first quarter against the Indiana Hoosiers in the Playoff First Round game at Notre Dame Stadium on December 20, 2024 in South Bend, Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

Jeremiah Love set a College Football Playoff record, tied a Notre Dame record and broke the 1,000-yard mark on his 98-yard TD run against Indiana. (Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images)

The first game of the 12-team College Football Playoff got off to a wild start.

Notre Dame RB Jeremiah Love ripped off a 98-yard run in the first quarter one play after Indiana QB Kurtis Rourke threw an interception. Love’s run was the longest in school history when he became the first player to find the end zone in the extended playoff game.

Just before his run, Xavier Watts sacked Rourke on an improper throw. Rourke’s pass came right after Indiana WR Elijah Sarratt made a great catch down the sideline on third down. As Indiana rushed to the line to make sure there was no replay review of Sarratt’s catch, ESPN had to cut the replay of the grab.

Indiana had the ball after Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard threw an interception on Notre Dame’s second offensive play of the game.

The run put Love over 1,000 yards rushing for the season. He entered Friday’s game with 134 carries for 949 yards and 15 rushing TDs. His carry is also the longest run in College Football Playoff history. That record had stood from the first weekend of the four-team playoff, when Ezekiel Elliott ripped off an 85-yard run in the Sugar Bowl against Alabama on Jan. 1, 2015.