Greg McElroy names 'most outstanding player' in college football after Week 12

Greg McElroy praised a Notre Dame star as college football’s most outstanding player after Week 12.

ESPN analyst Greg McElroy put a spotlight on Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love for deserving to be in the conversation for the most outstanding player award. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Notre Dame football dominated the Pittsburgh Panthers on Saturday, winning 37-15 and pushing its record to 8-2, which kept its College Football Playoff hopes alive. The Irish started fast at Acrisure Stadium, controlling the game with big plays on both sides of the ball and keeping the Panthers from ever gaining traction. A pair of early touchdowns swung momentum immediately, and the rest of the afternoon felt like confirmation of how far Notre Dame has come since its 0-2 start.

The first quarter told most of the story. A defensive stop on fourth down opened the door for the Irish, and their offense quickly took advantage. Then, a pick-six by safety Tae Johnson stretched the lead and left the Panthers scrambling to recover.

Pittsburgh’s offense struggled to find consistency, while Notre Dame’s defense piled up four sacks and constant pressure. One explosive offensive weapon, though, made the biggest difference.

That player was running back Jeremiyah Love, who broke free for a 56-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the day. He finished with 147 rushing yards and added 20 more through the air.

Love’s early burst flipped the game’s rhythm, giving the Irish an immediate advantage that they never gave back. His speed and balance were unmatched, and his performance carried over into national conversation the following morning.

Greg McElroy Praises Love As College Football’s Most Outstanding Player

During Sunday’s episode of Always College Football, ESPN analyst Greg McElroy said Love’s performance deserved recognition beyond the box score. “There needs to be a lot of attention paid to Jeremiyah Love’s Heisman Trophy campaign,” McElroy said.

“I don’t know if he’s going to have the platform or the opportunities down the stretch, but if we’re really talking about the most outstanding player in college football, he deserves a really good long hard look because I think he is absolutely in that conversation.”

Love’s production against the Panthers added to what has become one of the most efficient seasons of any running back in the country. His 167 total yards on Saturday came behind an offensive line that opened space early and a defense that gave him extra possessions to work with.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) ran for 147 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries against Pitt on Saturday. | Michael Longo / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Notre Dame quarterback CJ Carr threw two touchdown passes to Malachi Fields, while the defense returned two interceptions for scores, but it was Love who supplied the spark that broke the game open.

After the win, Love said he felt Pittsburgh showed “a little bit of a lack of respect” toward Notre Dame. He and his teammates used that perception as motivation, turning the Panthers’ words from earlier in the week into fuel for a decisive result. The Irish left Acrisure Stadium looking like a confident, complete team, and McElroy’s comments reflected that growing respect on a national level.

Notre Dame will host the Syracuse Orange on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.