USA Today releases Marcus Freeman’s final Coaches Poll ballot of 2023 college football season

USA Today released Marcus Freeman’s final Coaches Poll ballot of the 2023 college football season. The Notre Dame coach had quite the rankings to end the year.

Of course, it’s hard to deny Michigan the No. 1 spot for anyone at this rate. But Freeman had an interesting top 10 teams, leaving out his Fighting Irish in that category.

Below is Freeman’s USA Today Coaches Poll ballot to end the season.

Marcus Freeman’s top 25 teams in Coaches Poll

1. Michigan
2. Georgia
3. Alabama
4. Washington
5. Texas
6. Oregon
7. Florida State
8. Missouri
9. Ole Miss
10. Ohio State
11. Arizona
12. Notre Dame
13. LSU
14. Penn State
15. Oklahoma
16. Tennessee
17. Oklahoma State
18. Clemson
19. Kansas State
20. NC State
21. Louisville
22. Kansas 
23. Oregon State
24. Liberty
25. West Virginia

Freeman had the Wolverines as his No. 1 team but elected to put Georgia in at No. 2. That might be the majority opinion as the days wear on.

The Bulldogs lost to Alabnama in the SEC Championship in a tightly contested game. But then, Georgia pummeled Florida State in the Orange Bowl.

It is of the belief that Georgia would’ve done that anyway, regardless of who the Seminoles had out there, but we’ll never know.

He put Alabama just below Georgia, despite the head to head win by the Crimson Tide. Washington came up just behind them after the Huskies made it to the College Football Playoff national championship.

The top 10 pretty much aligns with the general consensus. Notre Dame at No. 12 to end the season seems about right.

The Fighting Irish finished 10-3 and won 40-8 over Oregon State in the Sun Bowl and it looks like Notre Dame could take a leap in 2024.

He had his own team ahead of the likes of LSU and Penn State and we’re sure that could be debated.

But now it’s in the history books and Freeman could certainly use this as bulletin board material. Remember this ranking Notre Dame fans.

Freeman and company do not want to finish this low in 2024, especially with an expanded College Football Playoff coming in the fall.

Can the Fighting Irish make a run under Freeman? That recruiting and transfer portal pieces seem to be in place for a special 2024.