Irish 14th in AP poll

Notre Dame enters 2013 with the highest preseason expectations surrounding the program in seven years.

The Irish checked in Saturday at No. 14 in the Associated Press preseason Top 25 poll, 16 days after coming in at No. 11 in the preseason USA Today Sports coaches poll.

The Irish were not ranked in last season's preseason AP poll, and they entered last season at No. 24 in the preseason coaches poll.

This year's rankings mark Notre Dame's highest preseason billing since 2006, when the Irish entered the season at No. 2 in the AP poll and at No. 3 in the coaches poll.

Notre Dame finished fourth last season in the AP poll and third in the coaches poll.

Four of the Irish's opponents this fall are ranked in the preseason AP poll as well: Stanford (No. 4), Oklahoma (No. 16), Michigan (No. 17) and USC (No. 24).