Notre Dame Fighting Irish impress AP Poll voters, but don’t move the needle for the Coaches
Notre Dame football is fresh off of a strong 23-13 victory over the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday night. It was a defensive battle for the better part of three quarters, but the speed and depth of talent for the Irish eventually won out. The offense was able to rush for 198 yards and two […]
Notre Dame football is fresh off of a strong 23-13 victory over the Texas A&M Aggies on Saturday night. It was a defensive battle for the better part of three quarters, but the speed and depth of talent for the Irish eventually won out. The offense was able to rush for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. Their defense surrendered just 246 total yards during the contest.
In the latest AP Poll, Notre Dame gained a lot of respect for that performance. After beginning the year at No. 7, they rose up two spots to No. 5. The Irish are sitting behind the Georgia Bulldogs, Ohio State Buckeyes, Texas Longhorns and Alabama Crimson Tide.
Sitting in the top five is a great place for the Irish, especially in the era of the 12-team playoff. Without being in a conference, the Irish must be ranked high enough to make sure they secure a spot when the official playoff voting comes around.
While the AP voters seem very high on Notre Dame, it does appear that the coaches are still waiting to see how the action unfolds. They began the year at No. 7 in the Coach’s Poll, and that’s exactly where they were on Tuesday. There was no movement at all. That could end up being a good thing, or it could mean that the sample size wasn’t big enough to make a change.
Regardless, the Irish are beginning to gain respect from analysts around college football. Some may want to see more, but the key is they are taking notice. Just keep winning and everything else will take care of itself.
