Two weeks removed from a Week 1 27-24 defeat on the road at the hands of then No. 10 Miami, the No. 8 Fighting Irish (0-1) are set to take the gridiron Saturday against the No. 16 Aggies of Texas A&M (2-0).
CJ Carr looked more and more comfortable under center for the Irish as that season-opener played out eventually completing 19 of 30 passes for 221 yards including two touchdown tosses and one interception. He also tied the game late with a touchdown on the ground.
The redshirt freshman will look to build on the momentum gained in the latter stages of his debut two weeks ago this weekend against the Aggies. It will be his first start at the feet of Touchdown Jesus. Even though the loss was to a highly ranked Miami squad, Carr and co. will take the field with an eye on keeping the Irish in the running for a spot in the college football playoff.
Texas A&M was quietly a trendy pick to make noise in the SEC this season and maybe even qualify for the playoff. Nothing through two weeks of the season has changed those notions. A win in South Bend, though, will turn those whispers into screams. This will be a big step up in class, though, following a pair of double digit wins at home over UTSA and Utah State. The Aggies are led by former Notre Dame Defensive Coordinator Mike Elko.
Lets dive deeper into the matchup and potentially find a sweat or two.
Read More: Vaughn Dalzell’s Weekly Top 25
Game Details and How to watch Texas A&M at Notre Dame
- Date: Saturday, September 13, 2025
- Time: 7:30P Eastern
- Site: Notre Dame Stadium
- City: South Bend, IN
- TV/Streaming: NBC/Peacock
Game Odds for Texas A&M at Notre Dame
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
- Moneyline: Texas A&M Aggies (+200), Notre Dame Fighting Irish (-245)
- Spread: Notre Dame -6.5 (-115)
- Total: 49.5 points
Be sure to check out DraftKings for all the latest game odds & player props for every matchup this week on the college football schedule!
Lets dive into each team and find a few bets for this blockbuster.
Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Head Coach: Marcus Freeman
2025 Record: 0-1
Offense Ranking: 22nd
Defense Ranking: 21st
Strength of Schedule: 36th
Notre Dame suffered a tough 27-24 Week 1 road loss to Miami after K Carter Davis made a 47-yard field goal with 1:04 to give the Canes a massive opening week victory over the CFP National Champion runner-up. Surprisingly, Miami’s defensive line was able to slow down ND’s run game, with the Irish accruing just 93 yards on 28 carries for a disappointing 3.3 YPC (2024 = 201 Rush YPG/5.7 YPC). Two costly turnovers swung the balance, while Notre Dame’s 122nd-ranked special teams unit consistently put the offense in difficult situations. Redshirt freshman QB C.J. Carr will need to improve upon his 59% completion rate with a dirt-low ADOT of 4.3 yards if ND intends to defeat the Aggies this Saturday.
Notre Dame Offense
The Irish offensive line was thought to be a strength heading into the season, but Miami’s defensive line dominated the line of scrimmage to a staggering degree ranking dead last nationally in pressure rate (8.4%) and total blown block rate (54.2%). Drives stalled out too frequently, as is evidenced by their 42% 3-and-out rate (124th) with 35% of their offensive plays gaining 0 yards or less (107th). ND is still able to make a reasonable impact on the ground ranking 33rd in EPA/Rush, but their still developing passing game checks in at a troubling 109th in EPA/dropback.
Notre Dame Player to Watch on Offense: RB Jeremiyah Love
The nominal best running back in the country, Love, rushed 10 times for 33 yards and 2.9 yards after contact with four receptions for 26 yards. It was an underwhelming performance from the future NFL Draft selection who dominated 2024 to the tune of 1,124 rushing yards, 6.9 YPC and 17 TDs to go with a sensational 4.39 YAC and 92nd percentile run grade. Notre Dame will need to get Love rolling in order to be competitive with Texas A&M.
Notre Dame Defense
Notre Dame’s defense entered Week 1 with playoff aspirations, but against Miami they looked more bend-than-break than truly dominant. The Irish allowed just 3.1 yards per carry and 4.7 yards per play yet couldn’t generate the disruptive plays needed to flip momentum, finishing with only one sack from sophomore edge Boubacar Traore and zero turnovers forced. Safety Jalen Stroman (9 tackles) and linebacker Drayk Bowen (8 tackles) paced the D with effort and consistency, but Marcus Freeman was candid postgame stating that his front four simply didn’t win enough one-on-one battles.
Notre Dame Player to Watch on Defense: DT Jared Dawson
A transfer from Louisville who appeared in 32 games for the Cardinals over three years, recording 9.0 sacks in the process. He has the tall task of replacing the ample production of 2024 DTs Rylie Mills and Howard Cross, but proved to be up to the task against Miami, recording 3 pressures, two stops and a batted down pass. Dawson earned a solid 82.4 PFF defensive grade against The U and will be a fixture on the interior for ND all season long if he keeps playing like this.
Read More: Heisman Watch
Texas A&M Aggies
Head Coach: Mike Elko
2025 Record: 2-0
Offense Ranking: 19th
Defense Ranking: 30th
Strength of Schedule: 18th
Texas A&M’s 2025 profile paints a picture of an explosive but inconsistent team. Offensively, the Aggies ranks 39th in success rate (48.6%) and pair it with strong explosiveness (11.6% of plays gaining 20+ yards, top 10 nationally), but a poor stuff rate (112th) and middling red zone efficiency (83.3%, 46th) reveal situational inefficiencies. The defense is a mixed bag, excellent in limiting success rate (31.6%, 27th) and pass disruption (59.7% of dropbacks ≤0 yards, 2nd), yet highly vulnerable to big plays on the ground allowing a staggering 18.4 yards per successful rush (134th). While the Aggies’ metrics show top-tier playmaking potential, their -5.3 PPG performance vs. SP+ projections (97th) and inability to suppress explosive plays (116th) will need to be remedied if the Aggies hope to make the CFP Playoff.
Texas A&M Aggies Offense
The Aggies were statistically competent but situationally erratic. A&M moved the ball efficiently through the air, ranking 34th in EPA/dropback (0.29) and 19th in completion percentage on throws 20+ yards (24.4%). Their 11.4 adjusted net yards/attempt ranks Top 20 nationally, backed by elite offensive line play that ranks nationally #1 in pressures allowed (0.0%) and 9th in total blown block % (1.7%). A&M’s ground attack is averaging 5.2 yards per carry (54th) but has been stopped behind the line at a dreadful 22.7% stuff rate (112th) while gaining a modest 2.0 yards before contact per carry (46th).
Texas A&M Player To Watch on Offense: WR Mario Craver
The Mississippi State transfer has been a revelation for the Aggies, securing 13-of-16 targets for 236 yards and three touchdowns in the first two weeks. His 69% success rate, 18.2 YPC and 81.3% catch rate indicate Craver is on the cusp of a true breakout campaign. OC Collin Klein is using him in an extended-handoff role with a very low 2.9 ADOT to take advantage of his explosive playmaking ability with the ball in his hands.
Texas A&M Aggies Defense
Texas A&M’s defense ranks 27th in success rate (31.6%) and 21st in yards per play allowed (4.68), signaling consistent down-to-down control. The pass rush forced 59.7% of dropbacks to go for zero or fewer yards — 2nd nationally, and they allowed just 4.0 yards per dropback (21st) with a stellar 11th-ranked raw QBR allowed (16.2). But despite this suffocating efficiency, they couldn’t stop hemorrhaging explosive plays. The Aggies are allowing a whopping 18.4 yards per successful rush (134th) with 6.0% of plays gaining 20+ yards (77th). The secondary is giving up an 8.8% completion rate on 20+ yard throws (44th) with 60% of contested targets being caught (91st) indicating there’s some room for improvement.
Texas A&M Player To Watch on Defense: Edge Cashius Howell
I first noticed Howell when doing film work on Shermar Stewart and Nick Scourton, with Howell’s speed, bend and technique comparing very favorably to his NFL Draft contemporaries. He has picked up right where he left off last year after earning a sensational 91st% pass rush grade, recording a team-leading 3.0 sacks with 8 pressures and four stops in just two games. He will be an integral part of Texas A&M’s defensive scheme and counted on to harass Irish QB C.J. Carr.
Texas A&M at Notre Dame team stats, betting trends
- Texas A&M has lost 7 of its last 10 road games
- Notre Dame has covered the Spread in 4 of its last 5 matchups as the favorite
- 8 of Texas A&M’s last 10 games (80%) have gone OVER the Total
Rotoworld Bet Best Bets
Eric Froton (@CFFroton): Texas A&M +7
According to our friends at Draft Kings, Texas A&M is a +7 Underdog but there are multiple books that are offering either +6.5 or +7.5 depending on where you look. DK actually has the best price on the market on A&M’s moneyline at +230 as well. While I’m intrigued by the prospect of the Aggies pulling off the upset in South Bend to avenge their 23-13 loss from last year, I’m much more bullish on the +7/7.5 considering the difficulty ND showed sustaining drives and protecting the football against Miami. I’m taking Texas A&M with the points.
Enjoy the weekend and lets cash a few tickets!
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