The predictable-but-peculiar postscript for a Notre Dame football team that made all the right kinds of history in its 66-7 obliteration of Purdue on Saturday in West Lafayette, Ind., was the lack of unanimity among the Irish fanbase on the No. 1 quarterback option for ND moving forward.
It’s a first-world problem — and a perceptual one at that — for a team that stayed in the polls after cratering at home, 16-14, to Northern Illinois on Sept. 7, then grounded itself in a redemptive pathway toward a postseason destination more glorious and consequential than say, the Pop-Tarts Bowl.
So is the lack of movement by the Irish (2-1) in the polls on Sunday. Notre Dame moved up one spot in this week's Associated Press poll to No. 17 and inched up one spot in the coaches poll to No. 18, the modest reaction from voters more due to the lack of ranked teams losing this past week than a reflection of Notre Dame handing a team that's been playing football since 1887 the worst loss in its history.
Related Content
â–º Road rage or awakening? Notre Dame rescrambles its big picture with rout
â–º Transcript: Marcus Freeman following Saturday's win at Purdue
â–º Game Balls: Leonard turns a cold shoulder to rumors; Botelho sets tone on D
â–º Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard leads with legs as passing game remains project
â–º Notre Dame football injury report: DE Joshua Burnham will miss Purdue game
USC (2-0) remains Notre Dame’s highest-ranked opponent, past or future, at No. 11. The Trojans, who host the Irish in the regular-season finale for both teams (Nov. 30), had the weekend off.
Louisville (2-0), which visits Notre Dame Stadium on Sept. 28 is 19th. Idle Northern Illinois (2-0) moved up two spots to No. 23, and opening-night victim Texas A&M (2-1) re-entered the AP poll at No. 25.
Last week's top five teams in the AP poll are the same, but with a different No. 1 and No. 2. Texas (3-0) jumped Georgia (3-0) for the top spot. Ohio State, Alabama and Ole Miss are third, fourth and fifth, respectively.
Notre Dame and defending national champ Michigan switched places, with the Wolverines (2-1) sliding a spot after laboring at home to get past Arkansas State, 28-18.
The Irish host the unranked version of Miami football — (Ohio) on Saturday. TV time is 3:30 p.m. EDT on NBC/Peacock for the reunion with former Irish assistant coach Chuck Martin, now in his 11th season as head coach of the RedHawks.
Another familiar face returning to Notre Dame Stadium is Miami safeties coach Robert Blanton, a former Irish defensive back who hopes to make life tough for whoever’s playing QB for the Irish this Saturday.
This past weekend, four Notre Dame players saw action at the position, including sophomore Kenny Minchey and freshman prodigy CJ Carr making his collegiate debut.
In just one half of football, senior Riley Leonard rushed for 100 yards and three TDs, threw for and threw for 112 (11-of-16) without an interception in staking the Irish to a 42-0 lead at Ross-Ade Stadium.
Junior backup Steve Angeli made his season debut and threw for 100 yards and two TDs on 6-of-9 accuracy in 24 snaps before giving way to Minchey and then Carr to finish up the rout.
As for my AP vote, I had completely dropped Notre Dame out of the poll last week after the home loss to the Huskies. Although I still believed the Irish had a Top 25 roster, results on the field matter. It’s not purely about projection.
I also believe beyond the preseason poll, my ballot is not meant to be predictive but rather a snapshot in time that takes into account the entire season to date. In doing so this week, I felt the Irish earned their way back in, and I included them on my ballot, at No. 16.
I also have a new team at the top of my ballot, Texas replacing Georgia.
• Talk with Notre Dame fans on The Insider Lounge.
• Subscribe to the Inside ND Sports podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, SoundCloud, Podbean or Pocket Casts.
• Subscribe to the Inside ND Sports channel on YouTube.
• Follow us on Twitter: @insideNDsports, @EHansenND and @TJamesND.
• Like us on Facebook: Inside ND Sports
• Follow us on Instagram: @insideNDsports
