Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love Earns Major Accolade Over Ole Miss' Kewan Lacy

Love continues surging as the top running back in America, beats out Lacy for a prestigious award.

Nov 22, 2025; South Bend, Indiana, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) breaks loose for a touchdown run against the Syracuse Orange during the first half at Notre Dame Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Michael Caterina-Imagn Images | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Ole Miss sophomore running back Kewan Lacy was named one of three finalists for the 2025 Doak Walker National Running Back Award last month amid a historic campaign in Oxford.

Lacy became the first Doak Walker finalist in the history of Ole Miss football where he was ultimately joined on the final cut this year by Missouri's Ahmad Hardy and Notre Dame's Jeremiyah Love.

Lacy has been one of the best rushers in the nation all season long for the 11-1 Rebels, currently holding a season line of 258 attempts for 1,279 yards and 20 touchdowns.

Those 19 rushing scores shattered the previous single-season record at Ole Miss of 16 set by Quinshon Judkins in 2022, and it also gave him the all-purpose touchdown record of 17 that was set four times previously by Judkins (2022, '23), Brandon Bolden (2010) and Deuce McAllister (2000).

Courtesy of Ole Miss Rebels Football.

At 19 rushing scores, Lacy is already tied for 10th in Ole Miss career history, and he is one rushing touchdown shy of tying for 10th in SEC single-season history and becoming one of only 12 rushers in conference history to have 20 rushing scores in a year.

But after last night's awards show, Love has taken home the honor after a historic season of his own in South Bend.

“It’s a great honor, being the first to do it,” Love said on ESPN. “I feel like there’s a lot of weight that comes with that.

"I’m setting the standard for running backs here at Notre Dame, and I’m just hoping the next guys that come after me can set a higher standard than I did. But it’s a huge honor to be the first to win the Doak Walker Award at Notre Dame.”

Defenses tried, JEREMIYAH LOVE DENIED ❌

Jeremiyah Love is the Doak Walker Running Back of the Year 🏃😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/BIW9vaLn3s

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) December 13, 2025

The coveted running back entered the season as one of the top players in America where Love has certainly lived up to the hype in 2025.

“His blend of strength, balance and acceleration makes Love the quintessential running back and one of the most electric players in college football,” On3’s Chris Low said.

“Love rushed for 1,372 yards and 18 touchdowns and led all FBS players who had more than 160 rushing attempts (199) with an average of 6.89 yards per carry.”

Now, despite Lacy not taking home the hardware, all eyes are on the Ole Miss Rebels next Saturday in a College Football Playoff matchup against the Tulane Green Wave at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium.

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