Notre Dame in top five of final USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll

“Rebuilding year”

Notre Dame didn’t make the College Football Playoff as we all expected after Georgia was unable to beat Alabama last night, but all things considered it was a rather successful regular season in South Bend.

Pretty much an entire offensive line was reworked, a new quarterback transferred in while a true freshman saw a bunch of time, and injuries were far from kind to the Fighting Irish.  Yet they finished the year 11-1 and ranked fifth in the final College Football Playoff rankings as well as the USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll that was released on Sunday.

The entire USA TODAY AFCA Coaches Poll:

  1. Alabama
  2. Michigan
  3. Georgia
  4. Cincinnati
  5. Notre Dame
  6. Baylor
  7. Ohio State
  8. Mississippi
  9. Oklahoma State
  10. Michigan State
  11. Utah
  12. Pitt
  13. Oklahoma
  14. BYU
  15. Oregon
  16. Iowa
  17. Louisiana
  18. NC State
  19. Wake Forest
  20. Kentucky
  21. Houston
  22. Clemson
  23. Texas A&M
  24. Arkansas
  25. UTSA

Others receiving votes: Wisconsin 105; Utah State 85; San Diego State 62; Minnesota 17; Air Force 15; Penn State 5; Fresno State 5; UCLA 3; Mississippi State 2; Coastal Carolina 2; Appalachian State 2; Purdue 1.

As of posting we’re still awaiting word on where Notre Dame will be headed for bowl season. 

Related:

College Football Playoff Matchups Made Official

Notre Dame’s all-time bowl history

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