Kirk Herbstreit, Joey Galloway make the case for Jeremiyah Love as Heisman finalist

The Heisman Trophy conversation has been dominated for weeks by quarterbacks like Fernando Mendoza and Julian Sayin. However, two prominent ESPN analysts believe another star belongs firmly in the race.

On the latest episode of Nonstop, Kirk Herbstreit and Joey Galloway made a strong push for Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love. They argued he deserves far more national attention, and may even belong among the top three candidates.

Galloway opened the discussion by highlighting how overlooked Love has become, despite Notre Dame’s eight-game winning streak and his own elite production: “Every time I see the rankings, it’s been Fernando Mendoza and Julian Sayin,” Galloway said.

“I don’t feel like he’s getting enough respect for what he’s been, what he’s done and the player he is.” Herbstreit immediately agreed, saying he believes Love is not only a top-three contender but may ultimately rise even higher.

“He’s a great one,” Herbstreit added. “If anybody deserves it, he does. Jeremiyah — he’ll be on my top three. I vote, you vote — depending on how they finish these next few weeks, very easily we could put him at No. 1.” Herbstreit also pointed out how rare it has become for running backs to win the Heisman, adding that Love’s impact should transcend the typical quarterback-heavy voting patterns.

Moreover, Love’s résumé backs up the analysts’ support. The Irish star has rushed for 1,135 yards and 14 touchdowns, while also catching 26 passes for 274 yards and three more scores. His latest performance — 147 rushing yards and a touchdown in a commanding 22-point win over Pitt — was another reminder of how essential he is to a Notre Dame team that has surged into playoff contention.

Notre Dame closes its regular season with matchups against Syracuse and Stanford, two opportunities for Love to enhance his late-season push. With the Heisman race still wide open and multiple contenders jockeying for position, both Herbstreit and Galloway believe Love has not only earned his seat at the table, but he has a legitimate chance to crash the front of the line.

If the Irish keep winning and Love keeps producing, his name may soon be mentioned not just among finalists, but among potential winners. Time will tell if he’s able to get the job done, but he has his eyes on bringing his team back to a national title at the moment, not individual awards. That’ll just be an added bonus.