Poll of Notre Dame Football Fans Shows Continued Confidence in Irish Program

Notre Dame Fighting Irish football fans saw little Saturday in a 35-20 win over the Virginia Cavaliers to temper their enthusiasm for their football program, according to a new SB Nation poll released today.

Nearly 94 percent of respondents to a FanPulse poll who self-identified as Irish fans said they were confident about the direction of their football program, down 3.5 percent from those who responded following the 23-17 loss to the Georgia Bulldogs. (You can sign up here to add your opinion starting Saturday evening.*)

Despite the slight dip, Irish fans collectively kept their favorite team at No. 9 for the second consecutive week.

In the national poll — which encompasses both our fans, supporters of 48 other Power 5 teams and those who root for Group of 5 squads — the Irish improved one spot, from No. 11 to No. 10, following the win. The Cavaliers, ranked No. 24 in last week’s FanPulse poll, moved up five spots in this week’s poll.

Here’s how Irish fans differed with the national audience:

• Two spots higher: Michigan Wolverines (very surprising!), Kansas State Wildcats and Wake Forest Demon Deacons
• One spot higher: Georgia, Washington Huskies and Michigan State Spartans
• One spot lower: Clemson Tigers, Florida Gators, Boise State Broncos, California Golden Bears, Virginia

This week, FanPulse respondents were asked a new question:

Which fans of which programs are the most and least impressed with the Irish?

• Two spots higher than national average: N.C. State Wolfpack
• One spot higher: Florida State Seminoles, Georgia, Louisville Cardinals, Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota Golden Gophers, Oklahoma Sooners, Tennessee Volunteers, Utah Utes, Virginia, Virginia Tech Hokies, Wake Forest, Washington State Cougars
• One spot lower: Auburn Tigers, Maryland Terrapins, Missouri Tigers, Nebraska Cornhuskers, Northwestern Wildcats, Ohio State Buckeyes, Penn State Nittany Lions, TCU Horned Frogs, Washington and West Virginia Mountaineers
• Two spots lower: Boston College Eagles, Kansas State, Ole Miss Rebels
• Three spots lower: Kentucky Wildcats

Finally, here’s how confident our opponents’ fanbases are in the direction of their teams:

• New Mexico Lobos: No data offered.
• Georgia: 100 percent confident (unchanged)
• Virginia: 100 percent (unchanged)
• Bowling Green Falcons: No data offered.
• USC: 12.5 percent (down 45.8 percent)
• Michigan: 46.7 percent (up 34 percent)
• Virginia Tech Hokies: 14.3 percent (down 39 percent)
• Duke Blue Devils: 100 percent (unchanged)
• Navy Midshipmen: No data offered.
• Boston College Eagles: 33.3 percent (up 24.2 percent)
• Stanford Cardinal: 25 percent (up 25 percent)

What do you think?

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* Only one sign up necessary. A poll will be mailed to you each Saturday evening until football season ends.