Notre Dame Falls in AP Poll After Loss to Miami — How Far Did They Drop?

Notre Dame opened the 2025 college football season with a disappointing loss at Miami, 27-24. The then-sixth-rated Fighting Irish played from behind most of the night, and were uncharacteristically dominated on both sides of the line.

Despite all of that, Notre Dame rallied to tie the game late, before Miami kicked a 47-yard field goal with just over a minute left to send the Irish packing.

Fresh new rankings are out late Tuesday morning, and Notre Dame fell in both. The Irish went from sixth to ninth in the Coaches Poll earlier today, but what about in the AP Poll?

Notre Dame Falls to Ninth in AP Poll As Well

Notre Dame fell three spots to No. 9 in the AP Poll that was released on Tuesday. This matches where Marcus Freeman's Fighting Irish are ranked in the Coaches Poll as well.

The full AP Poll Top 25 goes as follows:

1. Ohio State
2. Penn State
3. LSU
4. Georgia
5. Miami
6. Oregon
7. Texas
8. Clemson
9. Notre Dame
10. South Carolina
11. Illinois
12. Arizona State

13. Florida
14. Florida State
15. Michigan
16. Iowa State
17. SMU
18. Oklahoma
19. Texas A&M
20. Ole Miss
21. Alabama
22. Tennessee
23. Indiana
24. Texas Tech
25. Utah

Also receiving votes: BYU 102, Auburn 94, Georgia Tech 67, Southern Cal 64, Louisville 59, TCU 49, Missouri 42, South Florida 25, Tulane 18, Nebraska 13, Kansas St. 7, James Madison 4, Liberty 4, UNLV 4, Duke 4, Navy 2, Pittsburgh 2, Baylor 2, Virginia 2, Memphis 2.

Next Up for Notre Dame: No. 19 Texas A&M

Notre Dame now prepares for its home opener against Texas A&M on September 13. The Aggies are 1-0 after beating UTSA 42-24 this past weekend, and host Utah State this coming Saturday.

Marcel Reece threw for four touchdowns in the Aggies win this past weekend, but the running game surprisingly favored the Roadrunners by a wide margin. UTSA ran for 203 yards as a team to Texas A&M's 108. Running back Robert Henry, Jr. ran for 177 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries in the game.

Can Notre Dame's run game come up with something at all similiar when Texas A&M travels to South Bend in a couple of weeks? That of course would require offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock to actually put the ball in the hands of All-American running back Jeremiyah Love, something he decided to do just four times in the first half against Miami.

Miami and Texas A&M are Notre Dame's only 2025 opponents that are currently ranked, but with how USC looked against Missouri State, and the favorable schedule the Trojans have to start, I'd be shocked if they're not ranked by the time the teams meet on October 18, and rather surprised if they don't enter the game unbeaten.