FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Marcus Freeman and James Franklin provided one final injury update ahead of Thursday night’s College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Orange Bowl.
Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love, who is dealing with a right knee injury, is expected to play, Freeman said Wednesday morning. Love sustained the injury in the regular-season finale against USC and appeared to aggravate it in the Sugar Bowl.
“He’s had a good week of practice,” Freeman said. “We have to be smart about how much we’re asking him to do in practice. No one is 100 percent right now. He’ll be good to go.”
Just how much the Irish can use Love, who rushed for 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns this season — and how effective he can be playing through the injury — will be one of the game’s biggest storylines.
Whether or not Abdul Carter, Penn State’s star edge rusher and the 2024 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year, is on the field is a decision Franklin continues to keep close to the vest.
Carter appeared to sustain a shoulder injury in the first half of the Fiesta Bowl and didn’t return. He remained on the sideline and had his left upper arm heavily wrapped. Franklin said Carter, will be a “game-time decision” but sounded optimistic.
“We anticipate Abdul playing,” Franklin said. “He’s doing everything he possibly can to play. His approach has been awesome. He’s lived in the training room, it’ll be a game-time decision, and we’ll see.”
Carter posted a series of cryptic Star Wars-themed tweets this week, ones that Franklin said he “learned as much from those as I do from our trainers.”
— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) January 2, 2025
Carter has been a dominant force this season, wracking up 21.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks.
(Photo of Jerimiyah Love: Matt Cashore / Imagn Images)
