Notre Dame Moves Up To 7th In ESPN Power Rankings
Notre Dame started the 2023 season off on a very strong note with a decisive 42-3 victory over Navy. The Irish were clearly the superior team, but they did what the superior team is supposed to do, and that is dominate.
It was an impressive first performance for quarterback Sam Hartman (251 passing yards, 4 touchdowns) and offensive coordinator Gerad Parker.
The Irish victory impressed the ESPN Football Power Index, which moved Notre Dame up three spots after the victory. Notre Dame went into the season ranked 10th in the ESPN FPI, but the eIrish climbed up to 7th after its thumping of Navy.
Notre Dame passed Clemson, USC and Penn State in the ranking, with each team falling one spot to 8th, 9th and 10th, respectively. USC played this weekend as well, beating San Jose State by a 56-28 score. The Trojans showed off their athleticism, but it was a typical week one performance that was a bit sloppy. USC led just 21-14 at halftime before blowing the Spartans out in the final two quarters.
There are three future Notre Dame opponents in the FPI Top 10. Clemson (8th) and USC (9th) were already mentioned, and Ohio State is currently ranked No. 1. There are a total of seven Notre Dame opponents in the Top 50 of the ESPN FPI. On top of the three Top 10 teams, the Irish opponents are also ranked 29th (Pittsburgh), 40th (NC State), 43rd (Louisville) and 47th (Wake Forest).
Notre Dame takes on Tennessee State this weekend, which will mark the first time the Irish have ever played a FCS opponent. The next big test will come on September 9th when Notre Dame heads to Raleigh, N.C. to take on NC State, who is also breaking in a new transfer quarterback (Brennan Armstrong) and a new offensive coordinator (Robert Anae).
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