Notre Dame Football Poll Watch: Irish hold strong at No. 8, but for how long?
By J.P. Scott
It’s starting to feel like Notre Dame football might be a little overrated at this point in the season.
We’re a fourth of the way through the season and Notre Dame football seems to be holding strong in the major polls at No. 8. While it’s great to be a top ten team, it’s starting to feel like the Irish are just living off of the Week 1 win over Michigan.
From writers on this very site to close friends who follow and support Notre Dame football, doubt has set in about whether or not the Irish are truly worthy of their top ten ranking.
It’s all about the eyeball test.
Sure, the team is 3-0 and wins are supposedly all that matters, but how you win carries weight in the eyes of the College Football Playoff committee and potentially forecasts some future hurdles.
Looking at the AP Top 25 right now, there are four teams ranked below Notre Dame who — according to what we’ve seen from both them and the Irish — probably shouldn’t be: Penn State, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State and Oklahoma State. Again, eyeball test.
The Irish aren’t alone in this, either.
No. 7 Stanford, who Notre Dame plays in a couple of weeks, has not looked like a top ten team. Bryce Love hasn’t looked like a Heisman candidate and the Cardinal offensive line has been largely unimpressive.
Fellow Slap the Sign writer Jack Leniart made the statement during a group chat that the loser of next week’s game between Stanford and Notre Dame could fall as many as ten spots in the polls as a result. It wouldn’t shock me, and it would probably be merited.
As far as other ranked teams Notre Dame will play this year, previously mentioned Virginia Tech sits at No. 13, while Syracuse — coming off a blowout win over Florida State, got some votes in both polls.
I’m starting to dread that game at Yankee Stadium more every day.
Key Defensive Matchups vs. Wake Forest. dark. Next
As mentioned, as long as the Irish keep winning — even if ugly — that’s all that matters. It’s just really hard to imagine a team playing the way Notre Dame did during the last two weeks finishing this schedule with fewer than two losses.