Jeremiyah Love Is Expected To Be Ready For 7th-seeded Notre Dame In The Orange Bowl

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to start Thursday in the Orange Bowl against sixth-seeded Penn State, enabling the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish and their trademark ground game to operate at - or near - full capacity in the first College Football Playoff semifinal .

Love re-injured his ailing right knee late in the third quarter of Notre Dame's 23-10 victory over second-seeded Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. He went into the medical tent twice before returning to the sideline with a hefty brace protecting the knee.

But when coach Marcus Freeman spoke with reporters Saturday, Love did not make the team's injury report.

"The only injury update from the game is Cooper Flanagan will be out for the remainder of the College Football Playoff with a foot injury," Freeman said, referring to a backup tight end. "We'll miss Coop and love him, but other than that, everybody else was clean. Pretty clean game in terms of injuries."

That means Love and quarterback Riley Leonard are expected to continue to lead the ground game while backup running backs Jadarian Price and Aneyas Williams provide reinforcements as the Irish 13-1, No. 3 CFP chase their first national championship game appearance since the end of the 2012 season.