They have steadily climbed back up by winning while others ahead of them have lost.

Week 2: #5
Week 3: #18 (lost to NIU 14-16)
Week 4: #17 (beat @Purdue 66-7)
Week 5: #16 (beat Miami-OH 28-3)
Week 6: #14 (beat #15 Louisville 31-24)
Week 7: #11 (no game)
Week 8: #12 (beat Stanford 49-7)
Week 9: #12 (beat @Georgia Tech 31-13)
Week 10: #8 (beat v. #24 Navy 51-14)
Week 11: #10 (no game)
Week 12: #8 (beat Florida State 52-3)
Week 13: #6 (beat Virginia 35-14)

EDIT: Holy smokes! Notre Dame has only played two true road games all season. They played Georgia Tech in Atlanta, but in Mercedes-Benz Stadium - so not a true Georgia Tech home game...and played Navy in New Jersey. They play Army this weekend at Yankee Stadium. At the end of the season, they will have played only THREE true road games - @A&M, @Purdue, @USC with Navy and Army at neutral venues and @Georgia Tech in Atlanta but away from their home field.

THAT is ridiculous. Completely unfair to be comparing a team with 6 of 10 games at home and only TWO true road games so far.