Usually outlets have a preseason power poll, then make adjustments after that. Dennis Dodd of CBS Sports didn’t do that, and waited until after the ACC and Big XII started play. As much as we all love preseason polls, this makes plenty of sense to wait, watch a weekend of games, then make decisions on where teams will slot in.
After an uninspiring 27-13 win over Duke, the Irish are fourth in Dodd’s initial power poll. It’s a great place to be in, as Dodd called Brian Kelly’s squad a front-runner in the ACC, along with Clemson.
Dodd saw the problem with the “veteran offensive line wasn’t overly impressive, but it was enough in a two-touchdown win over Duke.” I didn’t have much of an issue with a group that paved the way for 178 yards on the ground. Yes, Ian Book was sacked 3 times, but he wasn’t sharp early, as two of them came in the first half.
But enough with the supposed bad, the Irish are a top 4 team, which is exactly where they want to be. The November seventh matchup with Clemson continues to loom larger and larger. It is nice to be in a good spot, but it would be even better to finish the season inside the top four.