Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love Fires Back at Scheduling Threats: “They’re Scared to Play Us”
Notre Dame’s exclusion from the College Football Playoff and subsequent decision to withdraw from the Pop-Tarts Bowl sparked plenty of chatter across the college football landscape. But the latest noise isn’t about rankings or bowl politics - it’s about whether some Power 4 programs are now looking to freeze the Fighting Irish out of future schedules.
According to reports, a few athletic directors have floated the idea of boycotting Notre Dame - not just in theory, but potentially backing out of already agreed-upon matchups. That includes major programs like USC and Texas, two bluebloods with marquee games on the books against the Irish.
The suggestion? That these schools might be reconsidering their commitments in light of recent events.
But if anyone thinks Notre Dame is going to sit quietly and take that, they haven’t met Jeremiyah Love.
The Irish running back - a Heisman finalist and Doak Walker Award winner - didn’t mince words when asked about the notion that some ADs might try to ice out Notre Dame in future scheduling.
“They’re scared to play us. They don’t want to play Notre Dame because we’re Notre Dame,” Love said.
“You’re leaving us out of your schedule, it’s not a good look. Why not play us?
That’s how I think about it.”
That’s not just a soundbite - it’s a strategic shot across the bow.
Love isn’t just defending his program’s pride. He’s flipping the entire narrative.
If a school backs out of a series with Notre Dame now, it won’t be seen as some principled stand or disciplinary gesture. Thanks to Love’s comments, it’s already being framed as fear.
Not fear of punishment - fear of competition.
And that’s a powerful message, especially coming from one of the most respected players in the country.
For Notre Dame, this moment is about more than just optics. It’s about reaffirming their place in the college football hierarchy - independent, yes, but never irrelevant.
The Irish have long walked a unique path, operating outside of conference affiliations while still consistently drawing national attention. That independence has always been both a badge of honor and a point of contention.
Now, it’s back in the spotlight.
If schools like USC or Texas were to pull the plug on their future matchups with Notre Dame - and to be clear, no cancellations have been made - the public perception might not be what those programs expect. Instead of punishing the Irish, they could end up looking like they’re dodging a heavyweight fight.
And that’s exactly the kind of pressure Love is applying.
This isn’t just about one player talking tough. It’s about a program refusing to be painted as the problem - and instead, positioning itself as the team others are afraid to face.
Love’s message is clear: if you’re backing out, it’s not because Notre Dame did something wrong. It’s because you don’t want that smoke.
In the high-stakes world of college football, perception matters. And right now, Notre Dame is making sure the narrative doesn’t turn against them.
Whether or not any schools actually walk away from scheduled games remains to be seen. But if they do, they’ll have to answer a new question - not “Why punish Notre Dame?”
but “Why are you afraid to play them?”
And that’s a conversation the Irish are more than happy to have.