If college football season didn’t already feel close, the Associated Press lent a hand to make sure it does now.
The AP top 25 came out Monday, a preseason staple that offers a smack-you-in-the face sign that games are impending. There are less than two weeks before the season’s first weekend and 20 days from Notre Dame’s opener at Florida State.
The Irish will head into that Sept. 5 meeting with the Seminoles as the No. 9 team in the AP poll. It’s tied with their 2019 placement for their highest preseason AP ranking of the Brian Kelly era.
Reigning national champion Alabama is the No. 1 team, followed by Oklahoma, Clemson, Ohio State and Georgia. Texas A&M (No. 6), Iowa State (No. 7) and Cincinnati (No. 8) follow, while North Carolina is one spot behind Notre Dame to round out the top 10. The Irish were five points behind the Bearcats and 10 ahead of the Tar Heels.
Four Notre Dame opponents are in the AP top 15: Cincinnati, North Carolina, Wisconsin (No. 12) and USC (No. 15). Notre Dame plays the first three at home in October and meets Wisconsin in a neutral-site game at Soldier Field Sept. 25.
Notre Dame will face those four teams in a five-game stretch. Cincinnati visits Notre Dame Stadium Oct. 2, while USC (Oct. 23) and North Carolina (Oct. 30) come to South Bend at the end of the month. An Oct. 9 road game at Virginia Tech and an open date are in between.
Notre Dame is ranked No. 7 in the USA Today Sports AFCA Coaches Poll. Its season opener kicks off at 7:30 p.m. ET on ABC.