Notre Dame Starts 2025 at #6 in AP Poll: Respect, Disrespect, or Both?
- Connor Regan
- Aug 15
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 15
A closer look at why the AP and Coaches Poll can’t agree on the Irish, and what it means for their playoff hopes.
The first Associated Press Top 25 college football poll of 2025 dropped on August 11, and there’s plenty to unpack.
The AP poll is compiled from ballots submitted by more than 60 college football journalists across the country, each urged to vote without speculation or bias and to prioritize head-to-head results.
A week earlier, on August 4, the season’s first Coaches Poll came out — and the two rankings don’t exactly match.
Notre Dame’s drop from #5 in the Coaches Poll to #6 in the AP made them the only team in the top seven without a single first-place vote. That divergence is telling: coaches seem slightly more bullish on the Irish, while media voters are holding back.
In the Coaches Poll, Notre Dame finished comfortably ahead of Clemson — more than 30 votes clear — but in the AP, the Tigers jumped them. Even so, this marks the third time in the last four years that the Irish open in the AP preseason Top 10.
AP vs. Coaches Poll Trends
Over the last decade, Notre Dame has often been slotted differently between the two polls. 2025 is a perfect example—#5 in Coaches, #6 in AP—illustrating how coaches tend to give them more credit early, while media voters are slower to buy in.
Historically:
Preseason Predictive Accuracy (Bowl Winners): Coaches Poll – 59.9% | AP – 58.8%
End-of-Season Accuracy: AP – 56.0% | Coaches – 55.4%
Coaches are slightly better predictors early, but both polls become less reliable as the season unfolds. This could mean Notre Dame’s higher Coaches Poll rank carries a little more weight than it seems.
Why #6 Might Feel Low — and High
It’s no surprise Ohio State sits ahead of the Irish. The Buckeyes beat the Irish in last season’s national championship game and enter 2025 as the defending champs. But what stings is seeing two teams Notre Dame defeated in last year’s College Football Playoff — Penn State and Georgia — ranked ahead of them in the AP poll.
The reasoning comes down to two main factors:
Quarterback Uncertainty – Losing Riley Leonard leaves the Irish facing either a first-year starter or an ongoing quarterback battle. Between CJ Carr and Kenny Minchey, there they just eight combined career snaps in blue and gold. History under Brian Kelly showed what QB instability can do to the Irish’s ceiling. That makes Notre Dame one of only two top-6 teams with an unsettled QB situation.
Returning Firepower Elsewhere – Both Penn State and Georgia return their starting quarterbacks, and the Nittany Lions bring back their top two rushers, Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen.
Yes, Notre Dame returns arguably the nation’s best running back in Jeremiyah Love, but until the quarterback question is settled, pollsters will be reluctant to bump them higher.
The Schedule Factor
The other knock: Notre Dame’s 2025 slate isn’t as daunting as the rest of the Top 10.
Top 6 SP+ Strength of Schedule Rankings:
Texas - 12th
Penn State – 29th
Ohio State – 21st
Clemson – 34th
Georgia – 13th
Notre Dame – 44th
According to ESPN’s SP+ strength of schedule, Notre Dame is tied for 44th nationally. That’s three ranked opponents and three more that earned votes but didn’t make the cut.
On paper, the Irish should be favored in most games, but the downside is a limited margin for error. Trap games like Pitt or Navy could derail playoff hopes faster than a loss to a top-10 opponent.
Where #6 Has Led Before – Historical Context
Nationally, the trend is even stronger. In 19 of the past 21 seasons, the national champion started inside the AP Top 7. Only two outliers—2013 Florida State (#11) and 2010 Auburn (#22)—won it all from outside the Top 10. That means Notre Dame’s current spot puts them squarely where most champions begin.
The Bigger Picture
Notre Dame’s #6 ranking is a product of both their own circumstances and the perception of other top teams. They’re fortunate to start this high given their schedule and QB uncertainty, but also arguably underrated, with two CFP victims sitting in front of them.
What’s Next
The 2025 college football season kicks off Saturday, August 23. Notre Dame opens against #10 Miami on Sunday, August 31, in the 7:30 PM primetime slot — their first regular-season Sunday game in program history, and the first meeting with the Hurricanes since 2017.
Stay tuned with The Irish Tribune for full Notre Dame coverage all season long.
Comments