There are games that define a season, and then there are games that define a player. On Saturday in Pittsburgh, with Pat Narduzzi’s top-five rushing defense waiting to punch first, punch last, and punch the hardest, Jeremiyah Love steps into the biggest spotlight of his Notre Dame career.
This isn’t just another November matchup. This is a proving ground. This is a legacy game. This is the day Jeremiyah Love shows Heisman voters—and the entire college football world—exactly who he is.
And if he wants to be taken seriously in that conversation, this is the game he must dominate. Love’s Season has been strong—but this is where legends separate themselves
Love has put together the kind of season that demands attention. Explosive bursts. Punishing finishes. A near-1,000-yard campaign defined by consistency and toughness. He has proven he’s one of the best backs in the country.
Jeremiyah Love can prove his Heisman worth for Notre Dame football
But Heisman contenders aren’t crowned for what they do early in the year.
They’re crowned because of what they do when the pressure peaks. This Saturday isn’t about adding to a résumé—this is about defining it. Notre Dame’s most iconic backs carved their names into history by owning moments exactly like this one. Now it’s Love’s turn to step into that spotlight and deliver a performance that future Irish fans will talk about for years.
Pittsburgh’s Defense is Ruthless—and that’s exactly why this matters
Pat Narduzzi’s Panthers don’t just defend the run—they choke it out. Pittsburgh enters the matchup as one of the top rushing defenses in the nation, built on discipline, violence at the point of attack, and a refusal to give up easy yards.
They stack the box. They fit every gap. They make every yard earned through pain.
For most backs, this is the kind of matchup you survive. For a Heisman hopeful? This is the one you conquer. If Love can break through against this front—on the road, in November, with stakes higher than ever—voters won’t just notice. They won’t have a choice.
What Jeremiyah Love must do to take the Heisman conversation by force
This isn’t the weekend for modest success. This is the weekend where dominance is mandatory. Hit the 100+ yard mark. Score multiple touchdowns
Heisman candidates don’t tiptoe into the end zone—they take it by force, especially against elite defenses. Deliver a momentum-changing run
Every great back has a defining moment. A 25-, 40-, or 60-yard spark that flips the entire feel of the game. Love needs one of those Saturday. Carry the emotion of the offense
This is about more than stats. It’s about presence. About controlling the game’s energy, breaking tackles, creating yards after contact, and making Pitt’s defense feel him for four quarters.
Why this game can cement his place in Notre Dame history
Notre Dame running backs aren’t measured solely by numbers—they’re measured by moments. Bettis had them. Allen had them. Darius Walker had them. Kyren Williams had them. And now, Love has the opportunity to create his.
Beat USC earlier this season? That mattered. Carry the offense through tough stretches? That mattered too. But dominating a top-five rushing defense on the road in November—with your Heisman campaign on the line?
That’s the kind of performance that echoes under the Golden Dome forever.
This game offers Jeremiyah Love something rare: the chance to elevate from “great player” to “Notre Dame legend.”
Final message from Coach Joe
Jeremiyah, everything you’ve built this season has brought you to this field, against this defense, with this pressure. You’ve already proven you’re one of the best backs in the country. Now it’s time to prove you’re the one who rises when the moment demands greatness.
You want real Heisman consideration? Own this game. You want national respect? Run through the defense built to stop you. You want a legacy at Notre Dame that lasts long beyond this season?
Make Saturday your signature. Make Saturday your announcement. Make Saturday your moment.
Because Notre Dame football legends aren’t talked into existence—they’re made in games exactly like this one.