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ESPN crew has stunned reaction to Notre Dame’s spot in CFP rankings

Notre Dame came in at No. 11 in the first official CFP rankings of the season. The position, however, drew a stunned reaction from the ESPN CFB crew.

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The College Football Playoff committee revealed its first official rankings of the season Tuesday evening , and it came with questionable decision making including here Notre Dame landed.

When US LBM Coaches Poll No. 6 Notre Dame was unveiled as a projected 11th seed , it was met with stunned silence and shock from the ESPN College Football crew. CFP rankings show host Rece Davis had the strongest reaction to the Fighting Irish 's position in the rankings.

"No. 11, and this will be the last team in the field if this were selection...Notre Dame at No. 11! Did not expect to see this. I thought they'd be much, much higher," Davis said.

ESPN CFB analyst Joey Galloway responded by saying "Wow."

Greg McElroy provided his thoughts as to why the Irish are a projected 11th seed.

"I love Notre Dame. If you had to pick them against just about anybody, they'd probably be the team I would have right now above all else," McElroy said.

See the best photos from Notre Dame's 35-13 win over Navy

The CFP committee, which is led by Arkansas athletic director Hunter Yurachek, selected five SEC teams to be within the top-10 of the rankings.

Yurachek noted that Notre Dame isn't higher than No. 11 because "they don't have that signature win."

"The committee is very impressed with them," Yuracheck said. "They wouldn't be 11th if we were not."

The Irish (7-1) could get that signature win when they host top-ranked Miami on Saturday.

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Wednesday, November 4, 2026

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