Notre Dame moved up one spot in the final AP Poll of the 2022 season.

The move to No. 18 came after Notre Dame’s 45-38 win over South Carolina in the Gator Bowl on Dec. 30. It was an exciting game that saw Notre Dame battle back from a 24-10 deficit. Notre Dame rallied and closed out the 7-point win in one of the best bowl games of the season.

This was Marcus Freeman’s 1st season as Notre Dame’s head coach and he led the Fighting Irish to an impressive season in 2022. While Notre Dame missed out on a 10-win season for the 1st time since 2016, the 9-win campaign ensured its 6th consecutive season with 9 wins.

Notre Dame overcame adversity early in the season. An 0-2 start to the season summoned questions to the program’s future under Freeman. Notre Dame quickly recovered from the losses to Ohio State and Marshall and went 9-2 in the final 11 games of the season.

The 2022 season set the tone for the program’s future under Freeman. In 2023, former Wake Forest quarterback Sam Hartman transferred to Notre Dame and will compete for the starting quarterback job. The Fighting Irish will look to build off the success from 2022.

Notre Dame ended the season with a 9-4 record.