Notre Dame’s schedule has been an easy target all offseason, but the AP Top 25 gave that criticism a little less oxygen on Monday.
Yes, the Irish still don’t open with a heavyweight. Instead of Miami or Texas A&M, they start with Wisconsin, a team that went 4-8 last season.
And yes, there’s a strong case that the Badgers are the toughest opponent Notre Dame will see across its first six games. So nobody is pretending this slate is brutal.
But the latest rankings make it a lot harder to argue that the Irish are operating on a completely different level from the sport’s other top programs.
Marcus Freeman’s team opens at No. 4 in the country, which also means Notre Dame begins the year in position for a first-round bye under the CFP seeding changes. More importantly for the schedule debate, the Irish have three opponents in the AP Top 20 and two in the Top 15.
Miami leads the way at No. 7 as the highest-ranked 2026 opponent on the schedule. BYU checks in next at No. 14, and SMU lands at No. 19 in the preseason poll. Navy is the only other Notre Dame opponent to receive votes, and based on how the rest of the slate looks, it may be the only other team that has a real shot at being ranked later this season.
That’s why the usual conference-schedule complaints look a little thinner when you line Notre Dame up next to some of the teams making those arguments. Curt Cignetti’s Indiana squad has just one more preseason-ranked opponent than the Irish.
Its schedule includes Ohio State at No. 1, Michigan at No.
16, USC at No. 14, and Washington at No. 17.
Ohio State’s slate is even more loaded by this measure, with five AP Top 25 opponents and three of them in the top 10. That puts the Buckeyes among the toughest schedules in the country on paper.
The SEC comparison doesn’t exactly bury Notre Dame, either. Alabama also has three teams ranked in the Top 25 on its schedule, the same number as the Irish. Texas A&M has six, Georgia has four, and LSU has five.
Of course, preseason rankings only tell part of the story. Twelve teams that were ranked in the preseason AP Top 25 ended the 2025 season unranked, so these numbers amount to little more than bragging rights.
Still, when the noise starts up again about Notre Dame needing to join a conference because its schedule is supposedly too soft, the AP poll offers a useful counterpoint. On this metric, the Irish are not out of step with college football’s biggest names.
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Notre Dame May Have Another Answer Emerging At Wide Receiver
Matt Jeffery has spent camp making the most of a crowded receiver room, and Notre Dame has taken notice. The former lacrosse scholarship athlete and walk-on has been pushing for playing time while earning praise from coaches and teammates for the kind of athleticism and versatility that can carve out a role even when the depth chart looks full. He appeared in 12 games last season, and his momentum has only grown as August has worn on.
The interesting part for Notre Dame is how familiar this path feels. Jeffery arrived as a walk-on wideout and has started to look like another player who can turn that status into real production, especially after standing out in fall camp despite missing spring practice. The Irish have seen this story before with Jordan Faison, and Jefferys rise gives the offense another intriguing option to track as the season approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Has Two Real Player Of The Year Hopefuls
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What makes the list especially interesting for the Irish is the balance it reflects. Notre Dame is one of only five teams with both an offensive and defensive player represented, which says plenty about how much respect both sides of the ball are getting. Carr and Moore still have a long way to go before any awards are handed out, but being on that watch list is a reminder that Notre Dame has genuine star power at two of the most important spots on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Notre Dame Still Has One Pressing Receiver Question Before The Opener
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Mike Brown has been candid about the work involved in evaluating the room, and the challenge is easy to see with the opener drawing closer. Notre Dame is trying to piece together a lineup after key departures and some lingering health concerns, which makes every practice rep feel a little more meaningful as the staff looks for reliable answers before the season begins. [Read more 🡒]