Texas A&M football preseason previews: Why A&M upsets ND in week one showdown

There’s a lot riding on week one for both Texas A&M football and Notre Dame. Here’s why the Aggies can send the Irish packing.

Notre Dame wide receiver Micah Gilbert (14) Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the annual Notre Dame Blue-Gold spring football game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend.
Notre Dame wide receiver Micah Gilbert (14) Saturday, April 20, 2024, at the annual Notre Dame Blue-Gold spring football game at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend. | MANDATORY CREDIT GREG SWIERCZ / USA
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Three most important players for Texas A&M football vs. Notre Dame

Conner Weigman

The star of the show. As he goes, this team will go. We’ve yet to see him really at his full powers, though we got a glimpse with some of the big time throws he made against Miami last year. This will be a great challenge for him, given how well ND’s passing defense played last year, but I feel confident he is more than equal to it.

Taurean York

Will York see a sophomore slump or break out even more? The best linebacker in the state last year, York has a chance to continue to cement himself as an Aggie legend if he is able to follow up his big year with another in his sophomore campaign.

This won’t be an easy task for him, by any means—Denbrock’s system will stress the backers with no shortage of RPO looks, without a doubt. York is one of the most studious and sharp players on the team, though, so I feel great about his ability to captain the defense to a solid outing in week 1.

Nic Scourton

Call it a hunch, but I think we see Nic Scourton announce himself in a huge way in this one, a la Jared Verse against LSU two years ago. Both are DL transfers from smaller schools (yes, I know Purdue is no Albany, but bear with me here), and both are going up against a Denbrock offense in their first game in the limelight.

We saw an absolute monster wearing 11 on the DL in the spring game. If Scourton can perform that same way when the lights come on, the Irish had better watch out.

Schedule

Schedule