We have a massive game this weekend and Texas A&M's first true test of the 2025 season as the Aggies head to South Bend to take on last year's national championship runners-up in the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.
Not only is this a great spot to pick up a win over another top-25 team, it's also a chance to avenge last year's 23-13 season-opening loss. So let's dive into some of the biggest storylines and how they'll impact this outcome.
The health & rest advantage for Notre Dame
The biggest storyline to watch this weekend, especially in the early parts of this game, is how fatigued the Aggies look in comparison to the Fighting Irish. While A&M hasn't had the toughest two weeks to start its season, winning by a combined score of 86-46, Notre Dame is coming off a Week 2 bye and just one game played in the young college football season.
Although head coach Mike Elko has eased the fanbase with positive updates to some of his star players, there's a chance that quarterback Marcel Reed and offensive tackle Trey Zuhn will come into this game not quite at 100 percent. While there doesn't seem to be any major concern, it's another reason to pay attention to how everyone looks running around early on.
In what should be an incredibly physical battle between these two teams, you want to enter this weekend feeling as close to 100 percent as possible. If the Aggies don't seem too fazed by the rest disadvantage then they'll have a great shot of leaving South Bend with a win, but if they do look fatigued or worn down then it might be a long day for Elko's crew.
The first true test for Marcel Reed and this Texas A&M passing attack
Texas A&M's passing offense has been a revelation thus far: throwing for 305 yards per game with a completion rate of over 65 percent — a staggering 94 yards and five percentage points higher than in 2024. Marcel Reed has looked far more comfortable to start this season and the additions of KC Concepcion and Mario Craver out wide have certainly played a role in that, but this game against Notre Dame will truly tell us how we should feel about the Aggie passing attack moving forward.
Don't let their lone game against Miami fool you: This Notre Dame secondary is tremendous and especially so at the cornerback position. Leonard Moore is a rising star in this sport and was one of the more impressive freshmen we saw all last season, and Christian Gray has been very opportunistic at making big plays for the Fighting Irish on the other side of the field.
Add in their safeties and you've got one of the 3-5 best secondaries in the country, and a great chance for Texas A&M's passing attack to prove its worth. If Marcel can step up in his first big moment of the year and Concepcion and Craver are creating separation down the field, that will play a huge role in avenging last year's loss to this very same team.
This is the one storyline that goes beyond just Saturday's outcome: If the Aggies look the part through the air then it's a clear indication they possess one of the more difficult offenses to defend in the country, and something that would solidify them as a true contender for a conference title in the SEC.
Who has the edge in the ground game
Both of these teams are tailor-made for each other with some of the strongest offensive lines and running back rooms in the nation. Jeremiyah Love can lay claim to being the best pure runner in the sport and he works behind an athletic offensive line of five men all above 300 pounds. We also know how great the Aggies' run game is when the group is playing at its highest potential.
LB @officiallscoob on stopping the run game on Saturday: pic.twitter.com/0hnxsZnLnr
— TexAgs (@TexAgs) September 9, 2025
As great as everyone is on paper, that has yet to fully transfer over to the gridiron. Love and the Notre Dame offense as a whole struggled against Miami, averaging just 3.4 yards per carry. And while Texas A&M saw solid improvement in its most recent game with Utah State, it has yet to look as consistently dominant as it was all last year.
These programs may very well decide to turn this game into a rock fight where the strongest man survives and, if that's the case, the team that runs the ball best will have a massive advantage in walking away with a win.