College Football: 5 Bold Predictions for Texas A&M at Notre Dame

The Texas A&M Aggies are set for a showdown with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on Saturday. Mike Elko’s Aggies enter this Week 3 matchup looking to stay undefeated and continue climbing the rankings. Meanwhile, Notre Dame enters this matchup fresh off a bye week, looking to secure its first win of the season after falling to Miami in the season opener. Looking ahead to this big-time showdown, here’s a look at five bold predictions for this heavyweight bout.

1) CJ Carr Proves to be the Guy

After losing Riley Leonard to the NFL, Marcus Freeman was forced to enter the season with yet another new quarterback under center. CJ Carr won the job in camp, and entering Week 1, the quarterback was gaining plenty of hype to be the guy to lead the Fighting Irish back on another College Football Playoff run. However, in the team’s Week 1 loss against Miami, Carr seemed to struggle for most of the matchup before finally finding his rhythm in the fourth quarter. Now, with a week of rest under his belt and the butterflies of his first collegiate start behind him, Carr could prove to be the guy in this Week 3 matchup.

2) Marcel Reed Throws his First INT of the Season

Through the first two weeks of the season, Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed has answered the bell about whether or not he could be the passer the Aggies needed on offense. With seven passing touchdowns and zero interceptions on the season, the dual-threat QB looks like one of the top playmakers in the nation. However, he’s yet to play a top-tier defensive team like Notre Dame, which leads me to believe Reed could be poised to throw his first pick of the season against a Fighting Irish defense with excellent corners.

3) Jeremiyah Love Outrushes the Aggies’ offense

Jeremiyah Love is not only the top running back in the nation, but one of the top offensive weapons college football has to offer. Coming off 1,125 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns in 2024, the Notre Dame playmaker entered the season with high expectations. In Week 1 against Miami, the running back only rushed for 33 yards on 10 carries, which alone is disappointing considering the hype entering year three. Despite that, one game won’t define how the star’s season will go, which is why I like the odds Love outrushes the entire Aggies offense on the ground in Week 3.

4) Texas A&M Trails by Two Scores at the Half

Texas A&M enters this matchup undefeated, but against underwhelming competition, its 2-0 record is not nearly as impressive as it sounds. In fact, during the first two weeks of the season, the Aggies have struggled to pull away in the first half of each battle against lackluster teams. Against a top squad like Notre Dame, Mike Elko’s team has no room for error, and if they come in half-stepping, it won’t be a shock to see the Aggies trailing by more than a touchdown at halftime.

5) Notre Dame Handles the Aggies at Home

Notre Dame needs to get a win if it hopes to stay in the rankings after being given the benefit of the doubt during their bye week. As the lone ranked team without a win, the Fighting Irish have a lot riding on their Week 3 matchup, as a 0-2 start would all but guarantee a significant slide in the rankings. Assuming Notre Dame comes out ready to roll in front of their home fans, there’s a real possibility that Marcus Freeman’s squad handles the Aggies to get their first win of the season.