5 Things We Learned from Texas A&M’s Win Over Notre Dame
TJ Inman
Host · Writer
The Texas A&M Aggies got their first road win over a ranked opponent with a thrilling victory at Notre Dame. What five things did we learn from the Aggies’ win?
1. Mike Elko’s Aggies Arrive
Mike Elko’s first season in College Station was a mixed bag. The Aggies got off to a hot start but dwindled some and struggled on defense down the stretch, and were left out of the College Football Playoff conversation. Elko took ownership of the defense, and the results from that are not particularly encouraging thus far, but the Aggies got their biggest win in a decade on Saturday night and now have a real path to the playoff. The offense was dynamic, and Texas A&M, shockingly, won its first road game against a ranked opponent since 2014.
2. Marcel Reed’s Big Night
Marcel Reed offered promise last season, but it was mainly as a running threat, and he was a work in progress as a passer. On Saturday night in South Bend, Reed showed off his arm with a fantastic performance against what was expected to be one of the nation’s best secondaries. Reed was only 17 for 37, but he racked up 360 yards and only turned the ball over once, leading his offense to gain 488 yards on the road against Notre Dame. If that version of Reed shows up each week, Texas A&M will be tough to handle.
3. Worth Every Penny
Last season, Texas A&M’s offense revolved around its three-headed monster at running back and a strong offensive line. The Aggies invested a lot of money in the wide receiver position in the transfer portal this offseason, and the investment paid off in a big way on Saturday night. Mississippi State transfer Mario Craver had seven receptions for 207 yards with a touchdown, and KC Concepcion had four catches for 82 yards. Those two big-play wide receivers have transformed this offense and added a new dimension to the attack.
4. Running Game Struggles
Notre Dame and Texas A&M have arguments for having the best running back rooms in the country. The Fighting Irish have Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. The Texas A&M Aggies have Le’Veon Moss, Rueben Owens II, and Amari Daniels, and both have strong offensive lines that love to grind opponents to dust on the ground. On Saturday night, neither team could effectively run the ball. It wasn’t for lack of trying, as the two combined for 70 rushing attempts. Notre Dame only averaged 3.9 yards per carry, and Texas A&M was only slightly better at four yards per rush. Love has gotten off to a slow start this season, averaging only 3.85 yards per rush through his two games.
5. Irish Playoff Hopes on Life Support
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish entered the 2025 season considered as shoe-ins to make the College Football Playoff. After only two games, their hopes are now on life support. Look, 0-2 with losses to Miami and Texas A&M is not a death sentence, but you have to look at the rest of the schedule and then try to figure out what their resume might look like. The Irish play the following teams: Purdue, Arkansas, Boise State, North Carolina State, USC, Boston College, Navy, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, and Stanford. Arkansas is dangerous, and USC could be a legitimately good win, but at best, the Fighting Irish can now finish 10-2 with one quality victory. Would that be good enough to get Notre Dame in?
Odds to win National Title: +3300
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