Notre Dame star Jeremiyah Love made program history Friday night, becoming the first Fighting Irish player to win the Doak Walker Award as the nation’s top running back.
Love was announced as the 2025 recipient during the Home Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN, edging out finalists Ahmad Hardy of Missouri and Kewan Lacy of Ole Miss. The honor places Love among an elite group of past winners and follows last year’s selection of former Boise State standout Ashton Jeanty.
“It’s a great honor, being the first to do it,” Love said on ESPN. “I feel like there’s a lot of weight that comes with that.”
Defenses tried, JEREMIYAH LOVE DENIED ❌
— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 13, 2025
Jeremiyah Love is the Doak Walker Running Back of the Year 🏃😮💨 pic.twitter.com/BIW9vaLn3s
Love delivered a dominant junior season, ranking fourth nationally with 1,372 rushing yards and third with 18 rushing touchdowns. He averaged 6.9 yards per carry on 199 attempts while sharing the backfield with Jadarian Price. Love also contributed as a receiver, finishing with 27 catches for 280 yards and three touchdowns.
A Heisman Trophy finalist, Love entered the week with the third-best odds to win the award. His production helped power Notre Dame’s offense throughout the season and earned his place in school history.
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