Notre Dame (0-1) hosts SEC powerhouse Texas A&M (2-0) on Saturday in a rematch of last season’s opening game. The Fighting Irish prevailed in a defensive battle by 23-13 but now face a retooled Aggie offense. Coach Marcus Freeman’s squad has had two weeks to contemplate the stinging defeat it suffered in Miami. How this team responds against an equally formidable opponent will define their season. Kickoff is at 7:30 pm Eastern time and ABC will provide national television coverage.

Coach Mike Elko’s offense is much more dynamic this year, as evidenced by its two opening games. Quarterback Marcel Reed is a dynamic dual threat player who will be difficult to contain. Not only does Reed have a strong arm, but he also has a stable of speedy receivers to target. Elko brought in KC Concepcion and Mario Craver from the portal to terrorize opposing defenses. So far, so good. The Aggies also return a veteran offensive line that is among the nation’s best.

Freeman was dissatisfied with the performance of both his offense and defense in Miami. He has been somewhat cryptic in recent interviews but clearly wants his team to be more aggressive. Offensively, this should mean an increased workload for Jeremiah Love. We can then expect the Irish to throw play action passes off their running game. Freeman also stated that quarterback CJ Carr must have clear decision-making criteria on RPOs to avoid negative plays.

His defensive focus is to pressure the quarterback with four rushers, improve tackling, and create turnovers. In Miami, Notre Dame’s defense ended the first half poorly and faltered again to open the third quarter. The Canes won this mid-game time period by a 14-0 margin. This is unacceptable, and a reversal of the winning formula that served Notre Dame so well in 2024. As his team approaches Saturday’s challenge, however, it is time to stop talking about last season.

The Irish remain without guard Charles Jagusah, tailback Kedren Young, and tight ends Cooper Flanagan and Kevin Bauman. Fortunately, the team did not suffer any new significant injuries in the opener.

Texas A&M will be missing right tackle Rueben Fatheree and five-star freshman receiver Jerome Myles. Stalwart left tackle Trey Zuhn left last week’s game early and did not return. Elko insists Zuhn is fine but the Irish will test him to see whether he is fully healthy or not.

Notre Dame’s Offense vs. Texas A&M’s Defense

Last season’s powerful Aggie defensive line sent three starters to the NFL. Today, defensive end Cashius Howell is an ascending player who leads a rebuilt front four.  He is flanked by Florida transfer TJ Searcy. Holdover rotation players DJ Hicks and Albert Regins start at tackle.

Linebacker Taurean York returns as the man in the middle of the defense. Scooby Williams emerged from the competition to take the weak side spot next to York in Elko’s 4-2-5. York has plenty of physical talent but has been an inconsistent performer. His play ranges from wreaking havoc on an offense to disappearing completely.

Notre Dame’s offensive line is undoubtedly tired of hearing how poorly they played against Miami. The remedy for that is more aggressive play calling with drive blocking instead of dancing. Commit to throwing more downfield passes instead of lateral tosses toward the sideline. If such passing plays are to be successful, the protection technique needs significant improvement. Each Irish tackle surrendered four QB pressures in the opener while the interior players missed several blocking reads.

Even casual fans have already noted the obvious:  Love and Jadarian Price must get more carries. The counter trap that Price ran so well needs to be resurrected. Another needed element in the running game is the utilization of two tight ends. Ty Washington was recruited from the portal to be a blocking tight end but recorded only one snap in Miami. That is ridiculous.

Offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock must also call upon his wide receivers more frequently. Jaden Greathouse, Will Pauling and Malachi Fields were nearly invisible in the opener. If Denbrock were a doctor, he would be sued for malpractice. Unfortunately, he is neither a doctor nor a rocket scientist. Sources indicate Freeman ordered comparable adjustments to stimulate the offense on Saturday, so there is hope.

The Aggie secondary has veterans in Will Lee at one corner and Tyreek Chappell at nickel back. Georgia transfer Julio will start opposite Lee. Safeties Bryce Anderson and Dalton Brooks started last year for Elko. Marcus Ratcliffe is the primary backup and may be the most impactful player in the group.

This A&M defense is well-coached but lacks the dynamic elements of last year’s squad. Notre Dame should be able to move the ball on them regardless of how they line up.

Texas A&M’s Offense vs. Notre Dame’s Defense

In addition to Reed at quarterback, the Aggies added game-breaking speed at wide receiver. Ashton Bethel-Roman and Terry Bussey join Concepcion and Craver to lead a lightning-fast rotation. Reed’s accuracy on longer throws remains a question mark, especially when he is under pressure. Notre Dame must do a better job in this area than in the opener. Whether they blitz or rush just four, DC Chris Ash must devise ways to harass Reed. Until that happens, the negative comparisons to Al Golden will not cease.

Texas A&M’s game-breaking ability in the passing game is enabled by a strong rushing attack. Le’Veon Moss is coming off 2024 knee surgery but is the most talented runner on the team. Reuben Owens is a quality backup. This pair will rotate on Saturday and operate behind a seasoned offensive line.

Zuhn is a team captain and the best Aggie offensive lineman. The entire starting group returns from last season. Notre Dame will counter with a healthy group up front led by end Boubacar Traore. In Miami, the Canes outplayed the Irish and took advantage of a size advantage. I would like to see tackle Jared Dawson start over Donovan Hinish, particularly on first and second downs. Hinish is a more effective pass rusher but is often bulldozed against the run.

Another “must have” for Notre Dame is improved play by its linebackers. This group was not as aggressive as expected in Miami. Perhaps they were overthinking their new assignments in Ash’s defense. In any event, they were catching ball carriers five yards deep instead of meeting them in the hole. The exception was Kyngstonn Viliamu-Asa, who performed well. In any event, the Irish will need a strong performance from Drayk Bowen against the potent Aggie running game.

Notre Dame’s stellar secondary will have its hands full with the speed of the A&M receivers. As with Miami, they don’t want to be beaten deep. By allowing too much cushion, they risk allowing Reed to pick them apart in the short zones. Also, it goes without saying that safety Adon Shuler must be a ballhawk again instead of a spectator.

When asked about his defensive approach this week, Freeman responded as follows: “No personnel changes. We’ll roll guys like we have previously. They (Texas A&M) are a balanced offense, and they do some really good things in the run and the pass game”, he said.

Continuing, Freeman added, “So we have to be able to stop the run, right? It’s something I’ve always said — you have to try to put offenses behind the sticks and get them into challenging situations for them. And hopefully, you put them in a position where you feel like they’re one-dimensional. So, it’s going to start with stopping the run.”

Although he said there will be no personnel changes, I believe the rotation should be adjusted a bit. Playing Dawson on running downs makes sense, while veteran nickel back DeVonta Smith is needed on key third downs. Alternate Karson Hobbs had a rough time in Miami.

Special Teams

Kicker Noah Burnette and punter James Rendell were solid in the opening game. Jordan Faison will continue to return punts for the Irish while Price and Love will handle kickoffs. Coach Marty Biagi’s coverage and blocking units brought none of the excitement to Miami that we enjoyed last season. Hopefully, we will see a wrinkle or two this week.

Georgia transfer Jared Zirkel displaced three-year starter Randy Bond to win the place-kicking job. Zirkel converted his lone field goal attempt this season and has made 11 of 12 extra points. Punter Tyler White has exceptional power and his punts are rarely returned.

Explosive players man the return game. Terry Bussey on kicks and Concepcion on punts must not be allowed to break into the open.

Summary

Notre Dame can run on A&M with the right mindset up front and a commitment by Freeman and Denbrock. Not only must the line execute and finish its blocks, but the receivers must also provide help downfield. This component (blocking by Irish receivers) has been strong at times and terrible on other occasions. If the Aggies sell out to stop the run, it will take more than RPOs to make them pay. When they dare Carr to beat them through the air, that is exactly what he should do. The Irish have no choice but to play to win.

Defensively, Notre Dame must keep Reed from scrambling to move the chains. That task is doable if they are not giving up five+ yard chunks in the running game. Getting to third down and middle to long range distance is the path to victory. As Freeman noted, the Aggies have a balanced offense and will punish teams that cannot stop the run.

Special teams may become a battle between great punters but Notre Dame must make at least one significant play.

Here are a few questions that will shed light on the outcome:

• Can Notre Dame start fast in front of the home crowd?
• Which team will have the fewest penalties and turnovers?
• How well can the Irish contain Reed in the pocket?
• Will Love and Price play a larger role in the offense?
• Can Carr throw the ball downfield without committing turnovers?
• Will the Irish special teams win the battle of field position?
• Which defensive front will hold up against the run?
• Will Notre Dame win the “middle eight” minutes of the game?

Prediction

It may seem like hyperbole to suggest that Notre Dame’s 2025 season is on the line on Saturday. Except it happens to be true. The Irish cannot afford to go 0-2 and retain any aspirations of a playoff berth. Freeman’s program has advanced such that the playoffs are no longer a pipe dream. They have become a firm expectation.

The offenses are fairly evenly matched despite the difference in styles of the quarterbacks. Both offensive lines are experienced and talented. Texas A&M has more speed at wide receiver but Notre Dame also has quality athletes and an edge at tight end. Special teams are comparable with a slight advantage in overall athleticism to the hosts.

The importance of this game to the program and to Freeman’s career cannot be overstated. His team learned last week that you cannot win simply by showing up. I believe they will respond to their head coach with a much more inspired performance this week.

NOTRE DAME 27  TEXAS A&M 20

This is a reprint of John’s original preview article lost in a site technical issue