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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.

By Graham Harmon

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 ND

Riley Leonard

Probably was hard to guess he’d be on the list here with how much I’ve already mentioned him, huh? The newest North Carolinian school QB-turned-Irish signal caller will follow up Sam Hartman this year in South Bend. The difference, though, is that Leonard is being projected as a first-round pick.

Of course, he’s facing off against a guy who has had some similar (if a tad more muted) buzz for next year’s draft in Conner Weigman. If the Irish want to win, Leonard will have to outgun #15 in Maroon.

Jaden Greathouse

The Austin-Westlake product has been a revelation for the Irish. Though he was rated low coming out of high school, his size and speed at the receiver position makes him a matchup nightmare just like Noah Thomas. He’s a guy the Aggies will have to keep their eyes on in an unwavering manner, especially in the red zone.

Benjamin Morrison

The former Freshman All-American at corner will be looking to have a banner year in what will more than likely be his final in South Bend. That starts with clamping up any Aggie receiver who pairs up with him—whether Noah Thomas, Moose Muhammad, or Jahdae Walker, we do not yet know.

The unknown quantity that the Aggie receiving corps is at the moment means that it will reflect poorly on Morrison if his matchup breaks out, though how the Aggie offense plays going forward could change that appraisal by the end of the year. In any case, he is emblematic of an excellent Notre Dame pass defense that will be looking to shut down A&M through the air en route to an Irish win.

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