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Roundtable Sports
Notre Dame's Top 10 Offensive Plays From 2020-2025
- Story byRoundtable Sports
- Notre Dame's Top 10 Offensive Plays From 2020-2025
(Sam Navarro, USA TODAY Sports)
Notre Dame has seen it's fair share of impressive offensive plays from 2020 to 2025. This offseason, Irish Breakdown has gone back and ranked some of the best teams, offenses and players of the last 25 years. I figured it was time to dive into the weeds a little more and rank the Top 10 offensive plays from 2020-2025. Obviously, there were a lot of plays to look at and a lot of viable options for this ranking. All in all, there's just as many 'honorable mention' plays as there are top plays. Here's what all went into my rankings:
1. Impact - How meaningful was the play? Was it on a big stage or change the game?
2. Skill Involved - Determination, speed, athleticism, strength, etc.
3. The 'Wow' Factor - Simply put, was this a play that left many Irish fans in awe?
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Like all of the other rankings, this was fun and difficult ranking to put together. I always enjoy taking a trip down memory lane to look at some of the impressive plays of past Notre Dame offenses. Thankfully, with the No. 1 ranking on this list, we don't have to travel too far in the past.
No. 1 - Jeremiyah Love Touchdown vs Penn State - 2024
This play, more than any other play on the list, checked all three boxes when evaluating impact, the skill involved and the 'wow' factor. Yes, the most impressive play on this ranking is a two-yard touchdown run. But when you factor in the stage it was on, the determination and strength involved, I didn't know how I could put any other play at No. 1 on this ranking. This was the most impressive play of Love's career, and believe me, he could have made an entire ranking of impressive offensive plays by himself.
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No. 2 - Jaden Greathouse Touchdown Catch And Run vs Penn State - 2024
For the No. 2 play, we're staying in the same game as the No. 1 play. Notre Dame was back and fourth with Penn State in the 2024 Orange Bowl for the majority of the 2nd half. Following a Nittany Lion touchdown, the Irish were staring down the barrel at a 24-17 deficit in the 4th quarter. Thankfully, Greathouse made one of the most memorable plays of the 2024 season making two Penn State defenders fall and scoring a game-tying touchdown with less than five minutes left in the fourth quarter.
No. 3 - Jeremiyah Love 98-yard Touchdown Run vs Indiana - 2024
How do you open up the scoring of the first every College Football Playoff game on a college campus? A 98-yard touchdown run by one of the most electric backs in the nation is certainly one way to leave your mark in a football game. After a pair of turnovers, one by Notre Dame and one by Indiana, the Irish offense found themselves backed up on their own two-yard line. Love didn't waste anytime and put on in the end zone from 98-yards out on the first play of the drive.
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No. 4 - Ian Book Connects With Avery Davis vs Clemson - 2020
Clemson in 2020 was the last time the Irish hosted the No. 1 team in the country. With 1:12 left on the clock, Notre Dame found themselves down 33-26. Book hit Davis on a 53-yard deep shot that put them in scoring position. A couple of plays later, Book found Davis again in the end zone to tie the game 33-33. The Irish would go on to win the game 47-40 in double overtime but if it weren't for this clutch play, Notre Dame wouldn't have picked up one of it's biggest wins in Notre Dame Stadium in the 2020's.
No. 5 - Kyren Williams 65-yard Touchdown Run vs Clemson - 2020
On Notre Dame's first offensive drive of the game against Clemson, Williams set the tone with a 65-yard touchdown run freezing the Tiger's safety and scampering into the end zone. It's hard to imagine starting off a game in a better fashion when hosting the No. 1 team in the country than a long touchdown run on your first drive of the game on offense. This play would cement Williams as one of the most memorable Fighting Irish backs of the last decade.
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No. 6 - Riley Leonard Rushes For 1st Down vs Georgia - 2024 (2:30 mark)
When you talk impact, guts and determination in a meaningful game, look no further than Leonard's first down run against Georgia in the Sugar Bowl in the fourth quarter. Notre Dame needed to convert a 3rd down and 7 with 5:53 left on the game on their own 27-yard line. Leonard kept in himself around the edge and hurdled Georgia safety Malachi Starks to help ice the game in the Sugar Bowl, ending Notre Dame's near 30-year major bowl win drought.
No. 7 - Kyren Williams 91-yard Touchdown Run vs North Carolina - 2021
Williams' run against Clemson was his most impactful of his career, but his run against North Carolina was definitely the most skilled and impressive of his career in South Bend. Williams found himself five yards behind the line of scrimmage, dodging would-be tacklers, found the edge and took it 91-yards to the house in one of Mike Tirico's best calls inside of Notre Dame Stadium.
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No. 8 - Jeremiyah Love 48-yard Touchdown Run vs Navy - 2025
Following the lines of 'pure skill', Love's touchdown run this past season against Navy is one of the most impressive runs I've ever seen. He was hit about five yards deep in the backfield, brought down but spun off the torso of a Navy defender. Love made his way back to his feet and took it in for a 48-yard touchdown in one of the highlight plays that fueled his Heisman campaign. Love would eventually go on to win the Doak Walker Award in 2025 and become the first Fighting Irish back to win the award. This play was shown on repeat during that time.
No. 9 - CJ Carr No-Look Touchdown Pass vs Miami - 2025
When you want to jumpstart your legacy as a Notre Dame quarterback, you'd want to make a highlight-reel play early in your career, right? Carr didn't waste time in letting everyone know he was 'the guy' for the job. His first career passing touchdown was a no-look throw on the road against Miami, under the lights to Micah Gilbert.
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No. 10 - Jeremiyah Love 32-yard Screen Pass vs Louisville - 2024 (2:31 mark)
After Notre Dame's devastating home loss to Northern Illinois a few weeks prior, dominant wins over Purdue and Miami (OH) weren't enough to calm the Irish faithful. There were still questions on this team's ability to compete for a spot in the first year of the 12-team CFP. Thankfully, this play by Love put the nail in the coffin over their ranked win over Louisville at the end of September.
HONORABLE MENTION
Jack Coan To Michael Mayer Game-Winner vs Toledo - 2021
Tyler Buchner To Braden Lenzy Touchdown Pass vs South Carolina - 2022 (2:27 mark)
Audric Estime 80-yard Touchdown Run vs NC State Out Of Weather Delay - 2023
Mitchell Evans One-Handed Catch vs Ohio State - 2023
Sam Hartman To Chris Tyree 46-yard Touchdown Pass vs USC - 2023
Jadarian Price 70-yard Touchdown Run vs Purdue To End The Half - 2024 (1:30 mark)
Jaden Greathouse 30-yard Touchdown Catch vs Ohio State - 2024
Jeremiyah Love Hurdle vs USC - 2024
Jeremiyah Love 56-yard Touchdown Run vs Pitt - 2025
Malachi Fields One-Handed Catch vs Pitt - 2025 (1:00 mark)
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