Jeremiyah Love is done terrorizing the USC Trojans on the football field. The former Notre Dame running back is preparing for the 2026 NFL Draft and leaving his collegiate days behind. He still found time this week to deliver one final blow to his biggest rival.
The explosive playmaker joined JD Pickell of On3 to discuss his football future. The conversation turned to the paused rivalry, which will not be played in 2026 for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic. Love unloaded on the program he faced three times during his career.
Notre Dame’s Jeremiyah Love Blasts USC
“I think they’re done, I think they got their b— kicked, they got their last whooping, and I think they want to be done,” Love declared on the broadcast.
“I don’t think they want no more smoke, especially if I was back,” Love added during the interview. “I don’t think they want no more because it doesn’t look too good for them for the past couple of years.”
Jeremiyah Love had some fun with @jdpickell over his dominance vs. USC during his Notre Dame career.
“I think they’re done. I think they got their butt—they got their last whooping.”
“I don’t think they want more smoke, especially if I was back.”
ND was 3-0 vs. USC with Love. pic.twitter.com/qIIYY6v5Oe— Tyler Horka (@tbhorka) April 6, 2026
Those quotes set off fireworks across the college football landscape. It is rare to see a high-profile player speak with unvarnished disrespect toward a blue-blood opponent. Love earned the right to talk that kind of trash, having never lost to the Trojans.
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Notre Dame enjoyed success against USC during Love’s tenure in South Bend. The Irish won seven of the last eight matchups between the programs. That run of dominance includes three consecutive victories from 2023 to 2025.
Love turned the USC defense into his own highlight reel over the last two seasons. He saved his best performances for the brightest lights of the rivalry.
The 2024 matchup saw Love slice through the Trojans for 99 rushing yards and a score on just 13 carries (7.6 yards per carry). He also added 38 receiving yards to help secure a 49-35 victory in Los Angeles. That showing merely set the stage for his 2025 campaign.
Love broke the Trojans’ spirit during their final meeting last October. The 2025 Heisman Trophy finalist and Doak Walker Award winner exploded for a career-high 228 rushing yards and a touchdown in a 34-24 victory at Notre Dame Stadium. He averaged 9.5 yards per carry and consistently left USC defenders behind.
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USC fans will be relieved to see him move on to the NFL. They get a break from watching him sprint into their end zone, especially with the rivalry taking a hiatus beginning in 2026. Love departs the college ranks having helped maintain Notre Dame’s firm grip on the Jeweled Shillelagh.
