Was Notre Dame Disrespected in the Preseason AP Top 25?

Preseason rankings might not matter a whole lot these days, but they do create intrigue

Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman during a football practice at Irish Athletic Center on Thursday, July 31, 2025, in South Bend. | MICHAEL CLUBB/SOUTH BEND TRIBUNE / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For Notre Dame football, the 2024 season was a coming-out party of sorts as the Fighting Irish went 14-2 and won three playoff games en route to a national championship game appearance.

Wins over Indiana, Georgia, and Penn State were the three-biggest postseason wins by Notre Dame in 31 years, when it beat Texas A&M in the Cotton Bowl while playing with national championship hopes.

The Associated Press released its preseason college football poll on Monday, and Notre Dame checked in sixth. Take a look at the full top 25 rankings below, and then we'll discuss if Marcus Freeman's squad was disrespected.

AP Poll Preseason Top 25

Receiving Votes: BYU, Utah, Baylor, Louisville, USC, Georgia Tech, Missouri, Tulane, Nebraska, UNLV, Toledo, Auburn, James Madison, Memphis, FSU, Duke, Liberty, Navy, Iowa, TCU, Pittsburgh, Army, Colorado, Louisiana-Lafayette

25. Boise State
24. Tennessee
23. Texas Tech
22. Iowa State
21. Ole Miss

20. Indiana
19. Texas A&M
18. Oklahoma
17. Kansas State
16. SMU

15. Florida
14. Michigan
13. South Carolina
12. Illinois
11. Arizona State

10. Miami (FL)
9. LSU
8. Alabama
7. Oregon
6. Notre Dame

5. Georgia
4. Clemson
3. Ohio State
2. Penn State
1. Texas

Notre Dame checks in sixth and has three 2025 opponents crack the top 25 while three more wound up in the receiving votes category.

Was Notre Dame Disrespected by the Initial AP Poll Ranking?

6️⃣ in the Preseason Associated Press Poll ☘️#GoIrish☘️ pic.twitter.com/C8YcU86SO5

— Notre Dame Football (@NDFootball) August 11, 2025

Based on how strong Notre Dame was by the end of last season, beating two teams that start 2025 ranked above it, the question is certainly worth asking.

Notre Dame returns a slew of talent this fall, should be a force on both lines, and has seen skill players take a significant step

It seems pretty simple why Notre Dame checks in sixth and isn't knocking on the door of the top spot. Football fans tend to overthink things often but this one seems pretty straight-forward.

Notre Dame Remains Undecided at Quarterback

When you look at the five teams ranked ahead of Notre Dame, all but one have their starting quarterback decided. The one who doesn't is Ohio State, which is coming off a national championship and returns two of the nation's top-five players in wide receiver Jeremiah Smith and safety Caleb Downs.

Elsewhere, Texas has Heisman Trophy favorite Arch Manning, Penn State returns Drew Allar, Clemson has third-year starter Cade Klubnik, and Georgia has Gunnar Stockton, who started last season's Sugar Bowl.

I don't think it would matter if Notre Dame named Carr or Minchey the starter, but had it had a clear-cut starter entering the fall, I would imagine it would have received more points and likely a spot or two higher ranking.

Reminder, These Don't Matter for Notre Dame

Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (4) hurdles over Northern Illinois safety Nate Valcarcel on his way to score a touchdown during a NCAA college football game at Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024, in South Bend. | Michael Clubb / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last year, Notre Dame started the year ranked seventh before falling to No. 18 after losing to Northern Illinois. If Notre Dame takes care of business in the way it should with the 2025 schedule, it'll have gone 11-1 or 12-0, and will be on the short list of teams in conversation to receive a first-round bye in the College Football Playoff, even if its preseason rating isn't in the top-five.