Notre Dame – the consensus No. 3 team in the country this week – got the job done in week two with a 52-0 over Rice, but was it enough to convince USA TODAY Sports to keep the Fighting Irish in the top spot of the NCAA re-rank?
USA TODAY Sports decided otherwise this week, as Texas becomes the new No. 1 after its thrilling 24-23 win at home against Ohio State on Saturday.
Notre Dame drops down to No. 2, with Georgia, Indiana and Miami rounding out the top five. The Irish’s previous opponents – Wisconsin and Rice – are respectively No. 65 and No. 114.
“Even if the Buckeyes were in control for much of Saturday night, the Longhorns’ performance down the stretch warrants the move ahead of the Fighting Irish, who have dominated Wisconsin and Rice to
open the season,” according to an explanation of the shift.
Notre Dame (2-0) will host Michigan State on Saturday.
An eventful weekend in college football caused significant changes to the NCAA Re-Rank 1-138, including a new team at the top spot. https://t.co/UBRRavF5tk
— USA TODAY (@USATODAY) September 14, 2026
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This article originally appeared on Fighting Irish Wire: Did Notre Dame stay No. 1 in the USAT Sports NCAA Re-Rank?
