Notre Dame moves up in College Football Playoff rankings after beating Navy
If Notre Dame’s 35-32 win over Navy wasn’t a convincing case to move it up in rankings, losses by teams ranked above the Irish left no other choice. Two days after climbing in the AP Top 25 and USA Today Sports Coaches Poll, Notre Dame rose in the College Football Playoff rankings when they refreshed Tuesday night.
The Irish (7-3) are ranked No. 18 in the third version of the 2022 CFP rankings, up from No. 20 last week. They have been in all but one edition of the CFP top 25 since 2017.
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Notre Dame was on its way to a comfortable win over Navy in Baltimore Nov. 12, leading 35-13 at halftime. The Midshipmen pitched a second-half shutout, though, and nearly came back. The Irish had 12 yards on 20 plays in the final two quarters and didn’t ice the game until recovering an onside kick with 1:21 left.
Not a bold-faced addition to the résumé, all told. But much better than a loss. Just ask Texas (No. 18), Tulane (No. 17) and North Carolina State (No. 16), who all fell later that day. The Wolfpack (7-3) lost to 3-7 Boston College, the last-place team in the ACC Atlantic Division. Texas is 6-4 after a loss to then-No. 4 TCU, and Tulane is 8-2 losing to then-No. 22 UCF.
The CFP rankings included five other three-loss teams. Notre Dame is the second-highest ranked of them – behind No. 15 Kansas State and ahead of No. 19 Florida State, No. 22 Oklahoma State, No. 23 Oregon State and No. 24 North Carolina State.
Four Irish opponents are in Tuesday’s updated rankings. Ohio State (10-0, 7-0 Big Ten) stayed at No. 2 after beating Indiana 56-14. USC (9-1, 7-1 Pac-12) went from No. 8 to No. 7 after a 55-17 win over Colorado. Clemson (9-1, 7-0 ACC) beat Louisville 31-16 and jumped one spot to No. 9. North Carolina (9-1, 6-0 ACC), winners of six straight games since losing to Notre Dame Sept. 24, moved from No. 15 to 13 after a 36-33 win at Wake Forest.
Notre Dame lost to Ohio State 21-10 to open the season and beat North Carolina 45-32, both on the road. It plays at USC Nov. 26 to close the regular season. A 35-14 win over Clemson Nov. 5 is the Irish’s only home game against a ranked opponent.
College Football Playoff Top 25
- Georgia (10-0)
- Ohio State (10-0)
- Michigan (10-0)
- TCU (10-0)
- Tennessee (9-1)
- LSU (8-2)
- USC (9-1)
- Alabama (8-2)
- Clemson (9-1)
- Utah (8-2)
- Penn State (8-2)
- Oregon (8-2)
- North Carolina (9-1)
- Ole Miss (8-2)
- Kansas State (7-3)
- UCLA (8-2)
- Washington (8-2)
- Notre Dame (7-3)
- Florida State (7-3)
- UCF (8-2)
- Tulane (8-2)
- Oklahoma State (7-3)
- Oregon State (7-3)
- NC State (7-3)
- Cincinnati (8-2)
