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The Notre Dame Fighting Irish will start the 2021 college football season ranked #9 in the AP Top 25. The annual media poll was released at noon on Friday, and is another marker to see as we approach the first games.
No. 1 Alabama tops the preseason AP Top 25 while Oklahoma, Clemson, Ohio State, Georgia round out the top five. Cincinnati, Iowa State and North Carolina all make the top 10.
— AP Top 25 (@AP_Top25) August 16, 2021
Full poll presented by @askRegions: https://t.co/7dTTUiSC1j pic.twitter.com/lQS5VIjDcU
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Notre Dame was ranked #7 in the coaches poll, and that felt right. This #9 ranking in the AP Poll wouldn’t be so bothersome in most years — but ranking the Cincinnati Bearcats and Iowa State Cyclones ahead of the Irish is a giant middle finger via the collective media members to all of us.
Yes... these polls don’t matter, and that’s fine. It is, however, and interesting look at how schools are perceived throughout the country. Take Iowa State for example — what example can be shown that they should even remotely be ranked this high? Is is really because they couldn’t beat Lafayette, so obviously they’re a top 10 team? Of course it’s all silly — the poll and the questions — but we’re still here.