Notre Dame and Pitt both were in the initial Associated Press Top 25 poll released on Monday, with Penn State just outside the rankings.
Notre Dame, which finished No. 8 in the final AP poll of last season, begins the 2022 season ranked No. 5, while Pitt, which finished 2021 at No. 13, checks in at No. 17.
Penn State, which finished last season 7-6, is fourth in “Others Receiving Votes” behind Tennessee, Texas, and Iowa and just ahead of LSU.
First-year Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman recently named sophomore Tyler Buchner the starter for the Fighting Irish’s Week 1 contest at Ohio State (No. 2 in AP poll).
Pitt, meanwhile, will also have a new quarterback, as Heisman finalist Kenny Pickett became a first-round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers. USC transfer Kedon Slovis and redshirt senior Nick Patti.
Penn State returns multi-year starter Sean Clifford at quarterback.
Alabama checks in at No. 1 followed by Ohio State, defending national champion Georgia, Clemson, and Notre Dame, with Texas A&M, Utah, Michigan, Oklahoma, and Baylor round out the Top 10.