Behind The Ballot: Should Notre Dame’s sustained surge factor into its ranking?

Notre Dame D-lineman Jared Dawson (93) and the Irish defense has helped fuel ND's rise into the top 10 in the national polls. Mike Miller/Blue & Gold

Notre Dame’s 70-7 rout of Syracuse didn’t just extend its winning streak — it underscored how dramatically the Irish have improved since September. Notre Dame has climbed in 22 of 24 key statistical categories and is the only CFP bubble contender to trend upward in all five championship-caliber metrics. With the new CFP Top 25 looming, the question grows louder: Should the Irish be rewarded for playing their best football of the season?