College football insider Joel Klatt believes the Notre Dame Fighting Irish will be the sixth-best team next season. While discussing the upcoming campaign on The Joel Klatt Show: A College Football Podcast, Klatt detailed his “way-too-early” Top 10 rankings. In his list, he placed Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame squad at No. 6 in the nation.
The ranking is somewhat surprising, considering the Fighting Irish reached the College Football Playoff final and the national championship game this past season. With several key players returning, many believe Notre Dame could once again compete for a title. However, the road won’t be easy, as numerous powerhouse programs will be in the mix next season.
Joel Klatt’s ‘Way-Too-Early’ 2025 CFB Rankings and Notre Dame’s Placement
Klatt ranked the Fighting Irish (No. 6) ahead of the Michigan Wolverines (No. 10), LSU Tigers (No. 9), Miami Hurricanes (No. 8), and Clemson Tigers (No. 7).
“If they would have won and come back and actually won that game, I would have put them higher. But Notre Dame is at No. 6,” Klatt said. “I love what Marcus Freeman is building. If you listened to the show on Tuesday morning—the post-national championship game recap—you know that I was incredibly high on Marcus Freeman and what he was able to do.
“The culture at Notre Dame is excellent, and I believe the team is elite. I will be absolutely shocked if Notre Dame is not back in the College Football Playoff next year,” Klatt added.
Who Was Ranked Above Notre Dame in Klatt’s Ranking?
The Fighting Irish (No. 6) were ranked behind five powerhouse programs that have been dominant in recent years:
- 1) Penn State Nittany Lions
- 2) Texas Longhorns
- 3) Ohio State Buckeyes
- 4) Georgia Bulldogs
- 5) Oregon Ducks
While some may debate whether certain teams should be ranked higher or lower, the list features 10 strong programs that could all challenge for next year’s top college football honor. With the expanded College Football Playoff format, the road to the national championship is more unpredictable than ever.
This season’s national championship featured the No. 7 and No. 8 seeds, with both teams defeating the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds on their respective paths to the title game.
MORE: Way-Too-Early Top 25 Power Rankings for 2025
As a result, a lower seeding does not necessarily mean a team cannot pull off a single-elimination upset against a higher-ranked opponent.
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