AP Top 25 Poll Release: Where Notre Dame Football’s Opponents Rank

The Associated Press unveiled its preseason Top 25 Poll, setting in stone the media’s expectations for the 2025 college football season. Notre Dame slotted in at sixth, despite finishing as last year’s national runners-up.

More intriguingly, with the poll, Irish fans can see where the team’s opponents stack up in what is still the most popular ranking out there, at least, until the CFP rankings are revealed.

Notre Dame Opponents in the AP Top 25

Last season, Notre Dame had two matchups with pre-season AP-ranked teams – against No. 10 Florida State and No. 23 USC, neither of whom was still ranked by season’s end.

That schedule looked somewhat soft even before the 2024 season began, and only softened up further with the struggles of Notre Dame’s most marquee opponents.

This preseason poll indicates a slightly tougher path for Notre Dame. Three of the team’s opponents are ranked, with another receiving nearly enough votes for a ranking and one more also receiving a couple of ranking points.

So, which Notre Dame opponents appeared in the poll?

Miami Hurricanes (10)

With Mario Cristobal entering his fourth season at The U, the Canes are getting desperate for a playoff appearance.

Cristobal’s Miami teams have improved in the win column every season during his tenure, but Carson Beck will have to adequately fill the shoes of Cam Ward in order for that to happen again in 2025.

For the Irish, Miami stands out as the team’s highest-ranked test of the season, at tenth in the poll.

Texas A&M Aggies (19)

Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) breaks free and runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images | Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Notre Dame’s schedule is front-loaded, as they take on their second-highest ranked opponent two weeks after the Miami game. The Aggies hope to take another step forward under Mike Elko after a promising start to his first season ended in disappointment.

Boise State Broncos (25)

Boise State just cracks the rankings after one of the best seasons in program history. Replacing Ashton Jeanty is impossible, but the Broncos, and returning quarterback Maddux Madsen, will be another strong test for Notre Dame in the first half of the season.

USC Trojans (others receiving votes; 64 points)

If the ranking were extended to include the five teams just outside the top 25, USC would be included, coming in at 30th.

Lincoln Riley faces serious pressure from a fanbase disappointed by two subpar seasons in a row, and he’ll hope to coax elite play out of QB Jayden Maiava. The Trojans are always dangerous, and Maiava played Notre Dame very close last season, so this remains a big mid-October matchup.

Navy Midshipmen (others receiving votes; 5 points)

Navy snagged a surprising ten-win season last year, riding the electric playmaking ability of returning QB Blake Horvath.

Last season’s matchup with Notre Dame was a blowout for the Irish, but Horvath and company should be hungry and good again this season, as evidenced by their inclusion in the “others receiving votes” category of the poll.

What does this all mean?

A few things. First, this season looks a bit more difficult on paper than 2024 for the Fighting Irish. Nearly 50% of the team’s matchups in 2025 come against opponents that drew at least some votes for a top 25 ranking, compared to only three of the twelve games in 2024.

Adding to the difficulty is the early onslaught of ranked teams. Facing Miami, Texas A&M, and Boise State all before mid-October means that Notre Dame can’t afford a lapse in focus like what happened with Northern Illinois last season, or the team will be treading water immediately.

Still, the schedule could be far more intimidating. The Irish, unlike pretty much all of their contending counterparts in the SEC and Big Ten, take on one team ranked in the top 15, and none in the top nine.

If Notre Dame takes care of the early portion of its schedule, especially Miami and Texas A&M, then making the CFP should happen. If not, then the USC game becomes huge.

Regardless, this schedule looks strong enough to ensure the Irish are battle-tested come the postseason. But it does not, as of now, look hard enough for the Irish not to get there.