Notre Dame Football: Irish continue to move up in the polls

The Notre Dame Fighting Irish moved up two spots this week to #12 in both the AP Top 25 and Coaches Poll. Quite simply, three teams ranked ahead of Notre Dame lost and the Irish took care of their Pitt business to the tune of 58-7.

Irish opponents in the top 25:

• Ohio State Buckeyes #3/#3
• Louisville Cardinals #15/#15
• USC Trojans #24/#22

The Duke Blue Devils are still receiving votes in the Coaches Poll, but not in the AP Top 25.

This is the last set of rankings that will be released before everyone shifts their attention to the College Football Playoff rankings — which will release the initial set on Tuesday night. So... I’m sure plenty of Irish fans will feel like this particular #12 ranking means nothing. Of course, they’re right, but only partly.

The CFP rankings will help decide where Notre Dame plays in the postseason. Unless we get the craziest November in college football history, the best we can hope for is a berth in a New Years Six bowl game. Still... I do like to remind people that the CFP rankings don’t give a final ranking once the bowls are over like the AP does — which is why the AP Poll is still important to follow.