0-2 Notre Dame Is Somehow Still Ranked as the AP Poll Takes Another Blow

It's been a rough week for the AP Poll. We're only a few days removed from Haley Sawyer's debacle of a ballot and subsequent response and now we have a new poll which features Notre Dame at No. 24.

Notre Dame has not won a game three weeks into the season.

I knew this was going to happen and I somehow still couldn't believe it. Sure, the Fighting Irish's two losses were close games to great teams. But they were two losses. I would contend that even an 0-1 team can't be ranked, but 0-2 is inexcusable.

The first few weeks of rankings should change dramatically. The only reason Notre Dame is still ranked is because of people's unfounded preseason expectations without any evidence — and to a lesser degree AP voters who don't watch the games and some of whom probably don't even know ND lost last night, but we've come to expect that. Now we have two data points from the Irish and they're both losses. You will have more opportunities to rank them when they finally win a few games, but you simply can't do it at 0-2.

Notre Dame is ranked ahead of 3-0 USC and only one spot behind 3-0 Missouri, which looks like a legit College Football Playoff contender. And that's not to even mention teams like BYU, USF and Mississippi State, who are excluded from the poll entirely because Notre Dame is still occupying a spot.

I'm no longer angered by the AP Poll's shenanigans, but I will continue to do everything in my ability to speak truth to those who should not wield this power.