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New preseason Top 25 has Notre Dame football right where it belongs

One top analyst thinks Notre Dame is built for a title run — and has the depth to prove it.
ByOliver Vandervoort|
Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (right) hands off to running back Kedren Young (left) during the Blue-Gold game
Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback CJ Carr (right) hands off to running back Kedren Young (left) during the Blue-Gold game | Michael Caterina-Imagn Images

Now that Notre Dame football has wrapped up its spring practice, it’s officially time to look at what will happen in the 2025 season. Star running back Jeremiyah Love has already been mocked to go in the first round but there’s more success than that expected for Marcus Freeman’s squad.

Andy Staples of On3 fame put out his “way-too-early” Top 25 for the 2025 season and Fighting Irish fans should be quite happy where he has them. In fact, he has them right at the top of the rankings, sitting only behind Texas.

Notre Dame ranked No. 2 in On3’s early 2025 poll

Considering Notre Dame is fresh off finishing second this past winter after losing to Ohio State in the National Championship game, Marcus Freeman’s squad deserves to be right up there until they prove they don’t deserve it at all. 

There are certainly reasons to doubt whether the Fighting Irish should really be up there that high. Not the least of which is we still don’t know who will be the starting quarterback. But there’s plenty of talent on that roster and Staples understands that:

"The most telling fact about Notre Dame's offseason? Two offensive linemen who started in the national title game immediately hit the transfer portal after the season because they probably wouldn’t have starting jobs in 2025. A great offensive line is the most recession-proof factor in football. Can Notre Dame's defense maintain the level at which it played last year? That’s the question. But injuries last season forced younger players like cornerback Leonard Moore to show us that the Fighting Irish have future stars ready to emerge. We think C.J. Carr wins the quarterback job, and a bigger arm than the Irish have had in years could unlock a downfield passing game that should complement a punishing run game."
Andy Staples

Staples believes the same thing I do. That if Carr can handle the pressure of being the starter in a place like South Bend, the Irish offense could be even more imposing than last season.

Notre Dame will need to find a way to rebuild the defense under Chris Ash but otherwise, things are very, very bright heading into the summer.