Texas didn’t just take over the top spot in the Week 2 AP Top 25 - it did it by ripping the No. 1 ranking away from Ohio State in a way that turned the whole poll upside down. The Longhorns climbed from No. 4 to No. 1 after their Saturday night win, and Notre Dame, while still sitting at No. 3, quietly closed the distance behind the teams above it.
The move at the top came after Texas beat the previously top-ranked Buckeyes, then finished the job with one of those comebacks that sticks in the memory. Texas was down 20-3 at halftime and looked finished, then slammed Ohio State with a 21-0 fourth quarter, capped by the go-ahead touchdown with under a minute left.
Georgia stayed put at No. 2, while Notre Dame remained third. Indiana and Miami each moved up one spot after wins of their own, landing at No. 4 and No. 5, and Ohio State tumbled to No. 6.
Notre Dame’s position got a little stronger in one important way. The Fighting Irish dropped from four first-place votes to one, but their overall point total actually rose from 1,512 to 1,531. That cut the gap to Georgia down to 20 points.
For now, though, this is all about early-season positioning rather than anything permanent. Texas has what amounts to a soft game next week, but the schedule tightens fast with SEC games against No.
15 Tennessee and No. 24 Oklahoma after that.
Notre Dame’s first real test in this stretch doesn’t arrive until October 17, when it travels to Provo to face No. 11 BYU.
Two games later, South Bend gets a top-five visit when No. 5 Miami comes to town.
If Notre Dame is still unbeaten by then, the No. 1 ranking could be sitting there for the taking.
In Other News...
Notre Dame Fans Just Got Their First Real Look At Noah Grubbs
Noah Grubbs had been on Notre Dames radar for months, but Saturdays game against Rice gave fans their first real look at the freshman quarterback in live action after CJ Carr exited. Grubbs arrived on campus early in January, got a full spring to settle in, and had already shown up in practices and the spring game, so the debut did not come out of nowhere - it just carried a different kind of weight once the lights came on.
At 6-foot-4 and 210 pounds, Grubbs brings the kind of frame and arm talent that naturally invites attention in South Bend. Quarterbacks coach Gino Guidugli has even pointed to the similarity in Grubbs strong-armed style and Carrs freshman profile, which makes Notre Dames quarterback depth chart all the more interesting as the season unfolds. The bigger question now is how quickly the freshman can turn a first glimpse into something the staff can actually lean on. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Is Suddenly In The No. 1 Debate After Week 2
Week 2 brought the kind of shakeup that can turn a routine early-season ranking into a national argument, and Notre Dame found itself right in the middle of it. Texas pulled off the biggest result of the weekend by beating No. 1 Ohio State late, while other contenders around the top of the AP poll also stumbled, creating the kind of opening that forces voters to rethink the entire order.
For Notre Dame, the conversation is less about simply moving up and more about how high the Irish can climb in a crowded field that also includes Georgia. With Oregon and Oklahoma taking losses that could send them sliding, the top of the poll is suddenly crowded with possibilities, and Notre Dame has done enough early to stay in the mix as the new rankings start to take shape. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Finally Looked Like The Team Fans Were Waiting For
After a season opener that left Notre Dame searching for a cleaner rhythm, the home opener brought the kind of performance fans had been waiting to see. The Irish overwhelmed Rice 52-0 with a fast, efficient start and never let the game drift out of their control, getting big contributions on both sides of the ball as the offense moved with purpose and the defense kept the shutout intact.
CJ Carr settled in immediately and looked comfortable directing the attack, while safety Adon Shuler and wide receiver Jordan Faison added to a night that felt complete from the start. For Notre Dame, it was the sort of lopsided win that does more than pad a scoreline, it offers a clearer sense of what this team can look like when the pieces are working together. [Read more 🡒]