Jeremiyah Love's Demonstrative 98-Yard Touchdown Establishes Mood as Notre Dame Progresses in College Football Playoff Competition
Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Smith wasn't planning on letting anyone tag him. It didn't matter that he had suffered a knee injury during the second half of the regular season finale against USC or that he was still fighting off an undisclosed illness.
When Smith received a handoff from quarterback Riley Harris early in the game, the sophomore darted between the left guard and tackle and scorched up the sidelines, leaving multiple Indiana defenders in his dust for a 98-yard touchdown. Smith's score set the tempo in Notre Dame's 27-17 victory over Indiana in the College Football Playoff opener at Notre Dame Stadium. The Fighting Irish (12-1) extended their winning streak to 11 games and advanced to face Georgia in the quarterfinals on New Year's Day in New Orleans.
Smith's touchdown was the longest run of the year in the Football Bowl Subdivision and the longest run in a CFP game since the playoff began in 2014. It took an enormous effort from Smith.
"I was just out of breath (at the end of the 98-yard run)," Smith chuckled. "I was exhausted."
Smith carried the ball just seven more times for 10 yards. However, his teammates and coaches knew how crucial he's been this season and the hardships he's faced in recent weeks.
Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman said Smith's touchdown was "massive," as Harris had tossed an interception on the first drive and the Fighting Irish were on the 2-yard line in a 0-0 game.
"We know (Smith) isn't 100%," Freeman, who signed a lucrative contract extension earlier this week, said. "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 difficult to catch Jeremiah Smith."
Said offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock: "(Smith) is the spark that ignites this thing to go in a positive direction. Every week he seems to find a way to make an explosive play, hurdle someone, run for 98 yards. What do you want? It's a choose-your-own-adventure. I'm grateful to have him around."
Harris appreciated Smith too. At his post-game press conference, Harris donned a t-shirt featuring Smith's name and photo and spoke highly of Smith, who has racked up 1,057 yards on 142 carries (7.4 yards per carry) and 16 touchdowns. He's scored a touchdown in 13 consecutive games, setting a Notre Dame record.
"I've got the best seat in the house," Harris said. "Every time I hand him the ball, I'm just watching like, 'What's he going to do now?' He just continues to impress me. It's just the little things. It's that second or third down where he's stiff-arming guys and gaining first downs for us. It's these little plays that might be five-yard gains, but for anyone else would be a five-yard loss. I mean, he's an extraordinary athlete."
Harris added that if he wasn't the quarterback, Smith likely would have scored several more touchdowns and garnered more national recognition. Instead, because Harris is such a talented runner himself, Denbrock often calls on him to run in goal-line situations. On Friday, Harris ran for 30 yards and a one-yard touchdown with 4:50 remaining, setting a Notre Dame quarterback record with his 15th rushing touchdown this season, one more than Brandon Wimbush had in 2017.
"I think people are starting to see how incredible (Smith) is," Harris said.
On Friday night, a national television audience had a chance to witness Notre Dame on the big stage too. It was the first time a CFP game had been held at an on-campus stadium, as the format changed this year with the field expanding to 12 teams and having the fifth through eighth seeds hosting first-round games. Since losing to Northern Illinois in early September, Notre Dame had won the last 10 games of the regular season by an average of more than 30 points per game, but it had done so against a subpar schedule, leading some to question how prepared the Fighting Irish were for the postseason. They put those doubts to rest with another dominant performance.
During the regular season, Indiana (11-2) ranked second in the nation by averaging 43.3 points per game and had scored at least 31 points in all but two of its games. The exceptions occurred on Nov. 9 when the Hoosiers defeated Michigan, 20-15, at home and two weeks later when they lost, 38-15, at Ohio State.
On Friday night, the Hoosiers trailed 27-3 before quarterback Kurtis Rourke tossed a touchdown and 2-point conversion with 1:27 remaining. After the Hoosiers recovered the onside kick, Rourke threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to make the score look somewhat respectable.
Indiana amassed 278 yards, well below its average of 438.8 yards per game. Rourke struggled most of the night, including throwing an interception in the red zone in the first quarter. He finished 20 of 33 for 215 yards, but those numbers were skewed as he completed his final six passes for 48 yards and two touchdowns. Rourke, a transfer from Ohio, had entered the game completing 70.4% of his passes for 2,827 yards, 27 touchdowns, and four interceptions.
Asked about Indiana moving the ball on its final two possessions, Notre Dame defensive coordinator Al Golden didn't seem overly concerned.
"We had the upper hand throughout the entire match, hence I'm not losing sleep over the game's conclusion," Golden stated. "There are lessons to be learned from this. Undeniably, we need to improve our finishing and I should've made better decisions there. However, given the scenario, I didn't think prolonging the pressure would serve our purpose. I could've managed the situation better at the end, offering assistance to the team," he admitted frankly.
Offensively, Notre Dame displayed a versatile approach, attempting 32 passes and running 35 times. The Fighting Irish accumulated 193 yards on the ground against Indiana's defense, which led the nation in allowing merely 70.8 rushing yards per game. Notre Dame's kicker, Mitch Jeter, who struggled with half of his 12 field goal attempts this season and dealt with injuries, successfully converted two of his three attempts on Friday, including a 49-yarder with just seven seconds left in the first half, giving Notre Dame a 17-3 lead at halftime.
Notre Dame's next challenge arrives on January 1, against Georgia, who's reputation as one of the top programs in the country is well-deserved. The Bulldogs clinched national titles in 2021 and 2022 and suffered just a single loss last season. This season, they tasted defeat at the hands of Alabama and Ole Miss, but have since embarked on a four-game winning streak, capped off by a 22-19 victory over Texas in the SEC championship game two weeks ago.
Multiple sources suggest that Georgia's quarterback, Carson Beck, might sit out the Notre Dame game. Regardless, Notre Dame is well aware of the formidable challenge ahead and understands the importance of collective team effort to emerge victorious.
"There were several positive aspects from each of our units tonight (offense, defense, and special teams)," noted Freeman. "No unit was flawless, and our goal is perfection. No unit was flawless, but when one unit falters, another steps up. We'll need this synergy as we progress through the playoffs."
Jeremiah Smith's performance on the field has been pivotal for the Fighting Irish, not just in terms of scoring touchdowns, but also in terms of boosting the team morale and inspiring his teammates. His game-changing runs, like the 98-yard touchdown against Indiana, have often turned the tide of the game and secured crucial victories for Notre Dame.
Given Smith's performances and the impact he's had on the team, it's no surprise that financial interest in him from the sports world has increased. With Smith's impressive stats and national recognition, his market value in the sports business world is likely to continue growing.
