Jeremiah Love is expected to be ready for No. 7 seed Notre Dame in the Orange Bowl

Notre Dame running back Jeremiah Love is expected to start Thursday against sixth-seeded Penn State, allowing the seventh-seeded Fighting Irish and their protected ground game to operate at capacity — or nearly so — in the first semifinal of the College Football Playoff.

Love re-injured his ailing right knee late in the third quarter of Notre Dame’s 23-10 Sugar Bowl win over second-seeded Georgia. He entered the medical tent twice before returning to the sideline with a strong brace protecting his knee.

But when coach Marcus Freeman spoke to reporters Saturday, Love did not report the injury to the team.

“The only game injury news is that Cooper Flanagan will be out for the remainder of the college playoffs with a foot injury,” Freeman said, referring to the reserve team. “We will miss Coop and love him, but other than that, everyone else was clean. Pretty clean game in terms of injuries.”

That means Love and quarterback Riley Leonard expected to continue to run the ground game while backups Jadarian Price and Aneyas Williams provide reinforcements as the Irish (13-1, No. 3 CFP) chase their first national championship appearance since the end of the 2012 season.

Love did not speak to reporters Saturday and is not scheduled to address the media before facing off Big Ten runner-up Nittany Lions (13-2, No. 5). Price is expected to discuss later on Saturday.

How critical was Love to Notre Dame’s offense?

He leads the Irish with 1,076 yards and 16 touchdowns, averages 7.3 yards per carry and has set a school record by rushing for a score in 13 straight games. The streak ended against Georgia.

Love also set the tone in Notre Dame’s first-round win over 10th-seeded Indiana when he sprinted 98 yards for the first score. It was the longest TD streak in playoff history and came on a day when Love was battling the flu and a sore knee he injured in the team’s regular-season finale in Southern California.

But the statistics and his on-court exploits don’t provide a full accounting of Love’s impact.

He has run over 10 defenders this season, including a tackle against the Hoosiers in which he aggravated a knee injury, and his ability to play well despite injury or illness has given the Irish a toughness that resonates throughout the locker room. And his strength and separation ability make Leonard an even more dangerous option on the ground.

The result: Notre Dame needed just 90 passing yards to beat the Southeastern Conference champion Bulldogs in New Orleans.

So, love on the field appears to be necessary if the Irish are to end their national championship drought at 36 years – the longest gap between title-winning seasons since the Irish won their first title in 1924.

But even if Love isn’t at full strength, the Irish have other options.

Leonard already holds the school single-season rushing TD record by the quarterback (15) and needs 169 rushing yards to record his first 1,000-yard season. Price can also be a breakout threat and workhorse, and Williams, a freshman, has worked his way into more action by recording half of his 32 career carries over the last four games.

“He came here with a lot of ability, but he had to earn trust,” Freeman said, referring to Williams. “All he did was continue to earn more confidence throughout the season. You can put him in at any time – run the play, pass the play, get the ball in his hands, throw the ball to him, he’ll protect. He’s a tough guy and I love that.”

The combination has caused plenty of consternation for Notre Dame’s opponents during a 12-game winning streak that has already led to the first 13-win season in school history.

Now Penn State faces another concern — health All-American defensive end Abdul Carter. He left the 31-14 Fiesta Bowl win over third-seeded Boise State with an apparent left hand injury. Coach James Franklin indicated Saturday that Carter could play, although he may be limited.

“He’s doing great, his attitude is great, his mentality is really good,” Franklin said. “It’s really going to come down to how he feels and how much he practices. I don’t think there’s anything stopping him from playing at this point; that’s how he’s able to play.”