Our college football 2019 season preview issue is here, which means we're checking in with all 25 teams from SI's official preseason Top 25 ranking. What do you need to know about each of this year's top contenders, from top-ranked Alabama down to Stanford? We'll be rolling out scouting reports for each team over the next two weeks, all of which are being collected here. Next up, it's No. 7 Notre Dame.
The Irish were just two wins away from a national championship last season, but their 30–3 loss to Clemson in the playoff semifinal displayed the gap in talent and depth between Notre Dame and the top two—not to mention enraging Ohio State, Oklahoma and Georgia fans who felt the Irish didn't belong in the playoff in the first place.