Notre Dame Football: Irish move up to #11 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll

Week 8 Top 25

Quick Hitter

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish took care of business on Saturday night in South Bend against the USC Trojans. The Irish moved up to #11 in both polls. The offense is looking more like it has an identity with an improved line mixed with tempo. I liked the shift to Buchner in the red zone late in the game, which could be his go to area of impact moving forward. The defense struggled at times, but kept the Trojans out of the end zone until the fourth quarter, so honestly, no complaints. The Irish sit at 6-1 as this fun season continues to roll on.

Notre Dame Opponent Rankings Quick Hits

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• Cincinnati Bearcats: #2. Despite the (way) too close for comfort win against the Navy Midshipmen, the Bearcats should still be in the driver seat to make the playoffs. Outside of Georgia, every team has looked shaky at best. They will get an opportunity for another top 20 win (potentially twice) against an undefeated SMU.
• Purdue Boilermakers: After a (very) brief stint in the top 25, the Boilermakers laid and egg against the Wisconsin Badgers. They looked great against the Hawkeyes a week ago and were shaping up to be Notre Dame’s best win. There is still more time left and some big games ahead, but it seems like last week was the exception.