Matt Cashore-USA TODAY Sports
The Associated Press released their first poll rankings for the 2016 college football season, and the Fighting Irish find themselves ranked in the top 10. Despite not technically naming a starter for the opener in Austin, Texas, on September 4th, Notre Dame still comes in at #10. Notre Dame will face 3 opponents that are currently ranked in the AP top 25; Stanford (8), MSU (12), and USC (20). However, as the season rolls on, that will certainly change.
Here’s the complete poll:
| 1 |  |
Alabama (33)SECRecord: 14-1 | PV Rank
-€” Points 1,469 |
| 2 |  |
Clemson (16)ACCRecord: 14-1 | -€”1,443 |
| 3 |  |
Oklahoma (4)Big 12Record: 11-2 | -€”1,352 |
| 4 |  |
Florida State (5)ACCRecord: 10-3 | -€”1,325 |
| 5 |  |
LSU (1)SECRecord: 9-3 | -€”1,269 |
| 6 |  |
Ohio State (1)Big TenRecord: 12-1 | -€”1,224 |
| 7 |  |
Michigan (1)Big TenRecord: 10-3 | -€”1,147 |
| 8 |  |
StanfordPac-12Record: 12-2 | -€”1,029 |
| 9 |  |
TennesseeSECRecord: 9-4 | -€”1,021 |
| 10 |  |
Notre DameDivision I FBS IndependentsRecord: 10-3 | -€”1,006 |
| 11 |  |
MississippiSECRecord: 10-3 | -€”718 |
| 12 |  |
Michigan StateBig TenRecord: 12-2 | -€”710 |
| 13 |  |
TCUBig 12Record: 11-2 | -€”707 |
| 14 |  |
WashingtonPac-12Record: 7-6 | -€”651 |
| 15 |  |
HoustonThe AmericanRecord: 13-1 | -€”644 |
| 16 |  |
UCLAPac-12Record: 8-5 | -€”496 |
| 17 |  |
IowaBig TenRecord: 12-2 | -€”484 |
| 18 |  |
GeorgiaSECRecord: 10-3 | -€”448 |
| 19 |  |
LouisvilleACCRecord: 8-5 | -€”447 |
| 20 |  |
USCPac-12Record: 8-6 | -€”344 |
| 21 |  |
Oklahoma StateBig 12Record: 10-3 | -€”316 |
| 22 |  |
North CarolinaACCRecord: 11-3 | -€”283 |
| 23 |  |
BaylorBig 12Record: 10-3 | -€”280 |
| 24 |  |
OregonPac-12Record: 9-4 | -€”218 |
| 25 |  |
FloridaSECRecord: 10-4 | -€”180 |