Notre Dame Preseason Top 25 Rankings Roundup

Notre Dame 2021 preseason rankings are all over the place

All of the preseason rankings are out and the range for Notre Dame is quite dramatic. Notre Dame is ranked anywhere from being the No. 7 team in the country to the Irish going 7-5.

Here's a roundup of the rankings, which quotes from those articles when applicable.

IRISH BREAKDOWN - No. 5

Notre Dame ranks 5th in my preseason rankings for a number of reasons, including a talented returning roster, a favorable schedule and the fact over the last four seasons there aren't more than five teams that have shown greater consistency from year-to-year than the Irish.

SPORTING NEWS - No. 6

"The Irish — who return to independent status in 2021 — face heavy losses on both sides of the ball, including quarterback Ian Book. Wisconsin transfer Jack Coan has experience, but Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner could push for the job. With Brian Kelly, you never know. Running backs Kyren Williams and Chris Tyree return with tight end Michael Mayer. The offensive line and front seven will need to be rebuilt, but Kelly successfully retooled both sides of the ball each of the last three seasons. Defensive coordinator Clark Lea is gone, but Kelly managed to pull Marcus Freeman from Cincinnati. The matchup against Wisconsin at Soldier Field is an interesting test to see how the interior will hold up on both sides. Cincinnati, USC and North Carolina also are on the schedule."

PHIL STEELE - No. 7

"The Irish only have 9 returning starters and are #128 on my [Experience] Chart. They still have RB Kyren Williams, a talented but just not as experienced OLine, and QB Jack Coan who led Wisconsin to 10 wins in 2019. Notre Dame has six starters back on D and my #8 rated defense in the country to go along with my #13 rated special teams. There are no easy games on the schedule but no non winnable ones either and they could win all 12 games. The Irish will be much better than most expect this year."

USA TODAY COACHES POLL - No. 7

ESPN FOOTBALL POWER INDEX - No. 7

ASSOCIATED PRESS - No. 9

ESPN POWER POLL - No. 9

"The Irish beat Clemson in the regular season and made it to the College Football Playoff last season, but there is a lot of production to replace from last year's team. Quarterback Ian Book is gone, the offensive line will have new faces across the board and head coach Brian Kelly has a new defensive coordinator in Marcus Freeman. The staff brought in Wisconsin quarterback transfer Jack Coan, who has a shot at starting for Notre Dame this season while battling with Drew Pyne and Tyler Buchner. Having tight end Michael Mayer as a big target will help whoever wins that battle, but there are some big holes to fill. On defense, linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is gone, but the unit does bring back star safety Kyle Hamilton. How the new faces step into key roles and help early on will be the story of what this Notre Dame team looks like this season."

SPORTS ILLUSTRATED - No. 11

"Brian Kelly’s recruiting has been consistently good for years now, and this will be a big test of that. The Fighting Irish are a team in transition, needing new faces to step up at quarterback, receiver, offensive line and at various positions on defense. Wisconsin transfer Jack Coan looks like the starter at QB, possessing the veteran savvy Notre Dame enjoyed with Ian Book. He has a very good running back in Kyren Williams and tight end in Michael Mayer to depend on, and the arrival of Marshall transfer Cain Madden should help solidify the Irish’s traditionally strong offensive line. The best player on the team is safety Kyle Hamilton. Kelly replaced one star defensive coordinator (Clark Lea) with another (Marcus Freeman, expropriated from Cincinnati). The schedule is rigorous."

LINDY'S SPORTS - No. 11

"Even coach Brian Kelly calls this team, with fewer returning starters than any other ranked team, a 'work in progress.' But that doesn't mean a deep setback on his watch. After four-year starting QB Ian Book went to the NFL, Jack Coan transferred in from Wisconsin to give the Fighting Irish a chance. And when Clark Lea became head coach at Vanderbilt, Kelly plucked highly respected defensive coordinator Marcus Freeman from Cincinnati."

PRO FOOTBALL FOCUS - No. 11

"Notre Dame’s strengths and weaknesses are pretty well-defined and similar to last season, but they are just a little bit more severe in both directions for 2021. The Irish defense was the fifth-highest-graded group in the Power Five last season, and they have every opportunity of cracking a top-10 spot nationally in 2021. Safety Kyle Hamilton, who has some of the best coverage ability of any player at the position, leads that group.

"The big issue with this team is once again the passing offense, but it’s a little bit more concerning this time around. Firstly, their current crop of wide receivers leaves a lot to be desired. While they do have a rising star at tight end with Michael Mayer, they don’t return a single wide receiver who has a single-season receiving grade above 65.0 under their belt. Among all FBS programs, Notre Dame returns the third-least productive wide receiver unit from last season. That issue paired with a vertical passing challenged quarterback in Jack Coan raises major concerns for this offense’s ability to consistently create explosive pass plays."

ATHLON SPORTS - No. 12

"ND returns to its independent status this year after using the ACC as its coronavirus safe haven. The Irish also welcome a new quarterback in Wisconsin transfer Jack Coan, who will have to keep the chains moving while a rebuilt offensive line finds its footing."

ESPN SP+ - No. 25

The SP+, which is Bill Connelly's formula, is projected to go 7-5, but his formula still has Notre Dame ranked 25th.

"In a year in which seemingly everyone returns their starting quarterback and 80% or more of last year's production, the Fighting Irish have to replace starting QB Ian Book and their top two WRs, four All-ACC offensive linemen (!!) and stars at defensive end, outside linebacker, cornerback and strong safety."

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Irish Breakdown Content

Notre Dame 2021 Roster
Notre Dame 2021 Schedule

Notre Dame 2022 Commits Big Board: Offense
Notre Dame 2022 Commits Big Board: Defense

2022 Big Board: Running Back
2022 Big Board: Slot Receivers

Notre Dame 2022 Scholarship Offers

Notre Dame 2022 Class Big Board
Notre Dame 2023 Class Big Board

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