Notre Dame Climbed to No. 3 in AP Poll
The Fighting Irish reached the third spot in the latest rankings after maintaining an undefeated start to the season.
Updated on Oct. 4, 2026 in Football
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Following a 37-26 victory over North Carolina, Notre Dame has moved up to the No. 3 spot in the latest Associated Press college football poll. The team currently holds a 4-0 record and remains behind only Texas and Georgia in the national rankings.
Why it matters
The ranking reflects the program's consistent performance during a notable 15-game winning streak. Voters in the Associated Press poll determine these standings based on team performance, rewarding teams that maintain dominance throughout the season.
Notre Dame holds a perfect 4-0 season record and has extended its winning streak to 15 consecutive games. The team has appeared in 61 consecutive AP Top 25 polls, with the current ranking marking 13 straight weeks in the top 10.
The players
Notre Dame
This university is a prominent college football program based in South Bend that competes in national rankings.
Associated Press
This news organization maintains the widely recognized weekly college football poll used to rank teams.
Texas
This college football program is currently ranked ahead of Notre Dame in the national AP Poll.
Georgia
This university's football team is currently ranked ahead of Notre Dame after recently defeating Vanderbilt 38-14.
North Carolina
This football program was the most recent opponent defeated by the Notre Dame team.
The details
Notre Dame secured its latest win by defeating North Carolina 37-26, continuing a trend where every victory during its current streak has been won by a double-digit margin. The program has maintained a presence in the AP Top 25 consistently since November 2022.
Timeline
November 5, 2022: Notre Dame defeated No. 5 Clemson.
November 9, 2025: The team re-entered the AP Top 10.
Week 1 2026: Notre Dame secured a victory over Wisconsin.
Week 5 2026: The latest AP poll was released.
Season Trajectory
The jump to No. 3 positions Notre Dame as a primary contender for the national playoff picture. This momentum builds on a 15-game winning streak that has significantly improved the team's standing relative to historical franchise benchmarks.
Notre Dame's No. 3 ranking puts the team in a favorable position for upcoming bowl projections and playoff seeding. The double-digit win margin in every game of the 15-game streak suggests a level of consistency that will influence future game-spread predictions.
The takeaway
Notre Dame has demonstrated remarkable consistency by winning 15 consecutive games by double digits. Fans can monitor future polls to see if the team maintains this momentum against higher-ranked opponents.
Further reading
For more on the current standing of the team, visit Football.
Source note: This article includes information reported by On3.
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