Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M pick, odds, spread: No. 8 Fighting Irish seek CFP resume boost against No. 16 Aggies
It's a nationally-ranked rematch of Notre Dame's 23-13 win at Texas A&M last season, but with different quarterbacks and a load of new skill players
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3 min read
Notre Dame and Texas A&M enter Saturday looking more like mirror images than strangers, and that makes this clash inside Notre Dame Stadium one of the weekend's most intriguing showdowns.
Both programs retooled at receiver after their early-season meeting in 2024, both are rolling out new quarterbacks, and both are stocked with skill talent that hasn't fully fired on all cylinders. Simply put, this Week 3 battle of ranked teams doubles as a litmus test for growth and a critical pivot point for the Irish, who are already boxed in after a season-opening loss at Miami.
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Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed has been more of a game manager as a passer, but can be electric as a runner. On the other side, Irish freshman CJ Carr flashed star power in his debut, tossing two touchdowns and running for another in a narrow 27-24 defeat.
For the second straight year, Notre Dame has suffered an early-season loss, but that doesn't mean its playoff hopes are over. The Aggies' rebuild under Mike Elko is only in Year 2, and Saturday provides a proving ground and whether they are ready to step into the national spotlight.
How to watch Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame live
Date: Saturday, Sept. 13 | Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
Location: Notre Dame Stadium -- South Bend, Indiana
TV: NBC | Live stream: Fubo (Start watching, save $20!)
Follow LIVE for updates as the Aggies and Irish meet in a crucial early season clash.
Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame: Need to know
Marcus Freeman owns the SEC: Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman has accomplished something few predecessors have in South Bend: he has beaten SEC teams at a furious pace. The fourth-year coach is already 3-0 against SEC foes, and they were all ranked: Georgia in the CFP, South Carolina and Texas A&M. He gets at least two more opportunities this season: Texas A&M this week and Arkansas on the road.
Aggies' road woes: Texas A&M is not a team to bet on winning against top-25 teams on the road. The Aggies haven't beaten a ranked team in a true road environment since 2014 (Auburn) and has gone 0-13 since with an average scoring margin of 34-18. Only one SEC team has a worse record since that time: Vanderbilt, which is 0-17.
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Where's the Love? Jeremiyah Love might be the best running back in the country, but he hasn't touched the ball much since he sprinted 98 yards for a touchdown in the first round of the CFP last season. Love has averaged only 2.9 yards per run since that explosive run, and hasn't run for more than 10 yards on a single carry since. He carried the ball only 10 times for 33 yards, and was effective with four catches for 26 yards in the loss against Miami in the season opener. Will the Irish re-establish the run against the Aggies? Remember, Love rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown on only 14 carries against Texas A&M last season.
Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame prediction, picks
It's been 11 years since Texas A&M defeated a ranked team on the road. Avenging a 10-point loss at home to Notre Dame last season with a win Saturday at Notre Dame Stadium sure would be a nice break from the trend. Marcel Reed provides the Aggies' offense a different dynamic that the Irish did not have to contend against last season, and for as much as Marcel Reed wants to be known for his passing, the key for him is sparking the rushing attack, which means he needs to tuck the ball and run for hard yards. Notre Dame has the better rushing attack with Jeremiyah Love and has a quarterback, CJ Carr, who proved himself a capable runner when needed. The feeling here is that the Irish run the ball more than the 28 times for 93 yards they had against Miami. Pick: Notre Dame Money line -258
SportsLine's proven computer model has simulated every Week 3 college football game 10,000 times. Visit SportsLine now to see all the picks, all from the model that is 31-19 since the beginning of last season on top-rated money-line and over/under picks.
