Blue & Gold Illustrated: 2012 Notre Dame Football Preview
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6 ✦ BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED 2017 FOOTBALL PREVIEW UNDER THE DOME Expectations are the root of disappoint- ment. That might be a plus for Notre Dame's football team in 2017. In the 23 seasons since 1994, the Fight- ing Irish have been ranked in the season's first Associated Press poll 15 times. Not once in those 15 years did they finish higher than the preseason rating (although in 1998 and 2015 they placed at the same spot that they started). Meanwhile, in those eight seasons Notre Dame was not ranked in the pre- season by the AP poll, it placed in the top 25 four times — including making a major bowl as a top-10 team in three of them (2000, 2005 and 2012), plus starting 10-1 in 2002. Following the 4-8 campaign from last year — in which the Fighting Irish began the season No. 10 in the Associated Press poll and were projected to post their first back- to-back 10-win campaigns since 1991-93 — they are unlikely to be ranked in the pre- season Associated Press poll this August. Here are the seven previous AP preseason rankings under head coach Brian Kelly and the outcome: 2010 Preseason Ranking: None This was natural because the Irish had gone 16-21 the three previous seasons under deposed head coach Charlie Weis. Finish: None (8-5) It was the first time ever Notre Dame won its final four games and didn't finish ranked. 2011 Preseason Ranking: 16 This was a first in five years, thanks to the 4-0 finish the year prior. Finish: None (8-5) Notre Dame dropped out of the top 25 af- ter the season-opening loss to South Florida and fell to 0-2 the next week at Michigan. It didn't return to the top 25 until the 11th week at 7-3, and climbed as high as No. 22 before losing to Stanford and then Florida State in the Champs Sports Bowl. 2012 Preseason Ranking: None After improving to 11-0, Notre Dame on Nov. 18 was ranked No. 1 for the first time since Nov. 20, 1993, almost 19 years to the day. At 12-0, Notre Dame would finish the regular season at the top spot for the first time since winning its most recent national title in 1988. Finish: 4 (12-1) After the 42-14 loss to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game, the Irish still had their highest finish since No. 2 in 1993. This also is one of only two times Notre Dame has placed in the AP top 10 in the past 23 seasons. 2013 Preseason Ranking: 14 Based on the previous season, this might have been top 10 had starting quarterback Everett Golson not been suspended from school in the fall semester because of an academic indiscretion. Finish: 20 (9-4) The Irish dropped out of the top 25 after falling to 3-2 with a home loss to Oklahoma. The Pinstripe Bowl win over Rutgers el- evated them from No. 25 to No. 20. 2014 Preseason Ranking: 17 Notre Dame was attempting to finish in the final AP rankings three years in a row for the first time since doing it seven straight times from 1987-93. Finish: None (8-5) The Irish started 6-0, were No. 5 and ap- peared to have won at No. 2 Florida State — but lost on a controversial call in the closing seconds and would finish the regular season falling in five of its last six contests. Feast or famine. 2015 Preseason Ranking: 11 A College Football Playoff contender at 10-1 right into the final week of the regu- lar season, Kelly's crew ended up finishing where they started. Finish: 11 (10-3) This was tied with 1995 for the third-best finish in the last 23 campaigns. 2016 Preseason Ranking: 10 The first time since the No. 2 rating in 2006 Notre Dame began the season in the top 10. Finish: None (4-8) The last time the Irish began the season in the AP top 10 and actually finished there as well was, once again, 1993. That year it was placed at No. 7 in the preseason and ended up No. 2 despite defeating No. 1 Florida State 31-24 on Nov. 13. PRESEASON RANK & FILE The last time the Fighting Irish entered a campaign unranked, they finished the 2012 regular season 12‑0 and ranked No. 1 before falling to Alabama in the BCS National Championship Game. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL