Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman expects running back Jeremiyah Love to play in Thursday's College Football Playoff semifinal game and the Fighting Irish ground game to be at full strength against sixth-seeded Penn State.

Notre Dame star RB Jeremiyah Love is expected to start against Penn State in the first CFP semifinal after injuring his knee.

Notre Dame star running back Jeremiyah Love has dealt with a variety of ailments over the last few weeks, yet has continued to chug along as one of the best running backs in college football. It began with a knee injury suffered in the regular season finale against USC out in Los Angeles that prevented him from finishing the game against the Trojans and has since escalated with him dealing with flu-like symptoms in the week leading up to and during the first round of the College Football Playoff matchup against Indiana in South Bend.

While Notre Dame football advanced to the College Football Playoff semi finals, with a 23-10 win over the Georgia Bulldogs, many are wondering what the status of star running back Jeremiyah Love will be.

The highlights have included long runs, towering leaps and big scores. Can Love now lead the Fighting Irish to their first title since 1988?

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love is expected to start Thursday against sixth-seeded Penn State, enabling the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish and their trademark ground game to operate at — or

Jeremiyah Love spent two weeks off battling a knee injury and an illness. So when he ran onto the Notre Dame Stadium turf Friday night, he was playing at less than full strength.

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.