Jeremiyah Love walked into Midtown Manhattan on Friday as a finalist and made history. The Notre Dame junior RB was officially announced as the 2025 Doak Walker Award winner during a media availability. But amid the celebration came an emotional moment that might hint at his future with head coach Marcus Freeman. 

“It’s sad, man,” Jeremiyah Love said on the ESPN tribute show on December 12. “I love Notre Dame so much. Just thinking about it potentially being my last time having a gold helmet on, I mean, it’s sad… I got to keep it moving and go and get prepared for the next opportunity.”

Jeremiyah Love became Notre Dame’s first-ever Doak Walker Award winner and only the second finalist in program history, joining Reggie Brooks in 1992. He is also a national finalist for the Heisman Trophy, the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award, the Maxwell Award, and the 2025 Disney Spirit Award.

From a procedural standpoint, Jeremiyah Love is eligible to enter the 2026 NFL Draft after completing three seasons at Notre Dame, having arrived in South Bend in 2023. From a projection standpoint, his draft path is already defined. Multiple scouting services view him as a potential first-round selection based on production, durability, and three-down versatility. If he turns pro, he would do so with leverage, not questions. 

The numbers explain why. In what is widely viewed as his potential final season at Notre Dame, Jeremiyah Love rushed 199 times for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns. He added 27 receptions for 280 yards and three more scores, finishing with 21 total touchdowns. Among the six FBS players who surpassed 1,300 rushing yards this season, he was the only one to do it while sharing significant carries with another 600-yard rusher. 

His national rankings reinforce the argument. Jeremiyah Love finished second nationally in scoring at 10.5 points per game, second in total points with 126, and second in total touchdowns with 21. He ranked third in rushing touchdowns, fourth in rushing yards, fifth in rushing yards per game, fifth in yards per carry at 6.89, and fifth in all-purpose yards at 137.67 per game. He was the only player in the country to rank top-three in scoring, total touchdowns, and yards from scrimmage. 

Still, Jeremiyah Love did not sound like a player ready to announce his departure. While speaking to the press ahead of the ceremony, the 20-year-old referenced getting “right back to work” and preparing for “the next season,” comments captured by The South Bend Tribune’s Mike Berardino. And his coach’s national statement only fuels the speculation further. 

Will Jeremiyah Love remain at Notre Dame in 2026?

Asked about his star’s achievement, Marcus Freeman made his pride clear on national TV, then added a line that sharpened the conversation.

“I’m just so proud of him, the football player he’s developed into but more importantly the man he’s become,” Marcus Freeman said. “Now I got to convince him to come back for one more year.” 

The context of Notre Dame’s postseason decision adds another layer. The Irish declined an invitation to face BYU in the Pop-Tarts Bowl, a matchup between the first two teams left out of the CFP. They were ranked No. 10 before the final bracket reveal, then dropped to No. 11 in favor of Miami, a decision the committee attributed to head-to-head results. In a statement released by the school, ND addressed its supporters and outlined its expectations moving forward. 

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“We appreciate all the support from our families and fans, and we’re hoping to bring the 12th national title to South Bend in 2026,” the statement read.

AD Pete Bevacqua later accused the ACC of doing “permanent damage” to its relationship with Notre Dame during a media push for Miami. Jeremiyah Love called the decision to skip a bowl game a “team decision,” admitting the Irish left their fate in the hands of the committee. He acknowledged that the roster would not have reflected the same group that played all season. 

“Ultimately came down to us wanting to give the best representation of our 2025 football team,” he said. 

The message was unity, but also unfinished business. Whether Jeremiyah Love is part of that remains unanswered. But combined with Marcus Freeman’s public pitch, it means one thing. This story is not finished yet.