Notre Dame made its point clear in Pittsburgh, and it started with a simple message from running back Jeremiyah Love. The sophomore star felt the Panthers had dismissed the Fighting Irish in the buildup to the matchup. When the game ended in a 37-15 Notre Dame victory, his words carried even more weight.

“Me personally, I feel like there was a little bit of, they didn’t respect us,” Love said after the game. “They didn’t really talk about how aggressive we were as a team. They didn’t really talk about how much we were basically just dominators. That was a little bit disrespectful.

“Didn’t use it for motivation. I really couldn't care less.”

Regardless of whether the Panthers respected Notre Dame before kickoff, they had little choice once the game started. Love opened the scoring with a 56-yard run that left Pitt’s secondary reaching at thin air. That set the tone for a complete effort that overwhelmed a team riding a five-game win streak. Safety Tae Johnson added a pick-six, the defense finished with four sacks, and the Irish controlled every important moment.

Tension was rising between Notre Dame and Pitt

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Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) reacts after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, PA on November 15, 2025.
Michael Longo / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The tension between the programs was obvious from the outset and continued into the final seconds. Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi used a late timeout that appeared to frustrate Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman. Their brief postgame handshake ended quickly as Freeman turned to celebrate with his team. Freeman later brushed aside the exchange and said he only wanted to enjoy a win that felt significant.

What mattered more to Freeman was the way Notre Dame handled a road environment that many believed could become a trap. Pitt hosted ESPN’s GameDay and honored former star Aaron Donald. None of it mattered once the Irish delivered the opening shot and never let up.

Notre Dame is climbing again as November unfolds. The run game is thriving, the defense is smothering, and the confidence inside the locker room is growing. Love said the Irish are only beginning to play their best football. The results support him. The respect they demanded in Pittsburgh is now much harder to ignore.