In Phil Steele’s college football 2025 preview magazine, he ranks Notre Dame as the No. 2 team in the country as the season is almost here.

Included on that list were two former Notre Dame head coaches, Ty Willingham and Charlie Weis. Both coaches had their struggles while in South Bend, the former more than the latter. The positive news for Fighting Irish fans, however, is that neither coach was on the list for their time with Notre Dame.

As it stands, Notre Dame now must be considered the second-best program in the country, trailing only defending champion Ohio State. The gap is narrowing, and with the 2026 recruiting class shaping up to be one of the best in school history, the Irish are well-positioned to challenge for the top spot.