Notre Dame fans are likely still a bit shocked coming off their tough Week 1 loss to Miami. The Texas A&M Aggies are still riding high off back-to-back easy victories. Now, both teams will find out how their season’s trajectory is going to start leaning. Will Notre Dame get their season back on track? Will Texas A&M prove its early-season successes on offense are legitimate?

Notre Dame has to find a way to be more efficient in the ground game, like it was in 2024, given its talent at running back with Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Their new starting quarterback, CJ Carr, still needs to prove that he is worthy to hold down that starting job. The offensive line has to have a bounce-back game following its poor showing against Miami.

Texas A&M needs to make sure Marcel Reed is actually healthy enough to lead the Aggies to victory, considering his late-game injury last week. The wide receiver duo, which has already outdone last year’s group in many ways, must create separation against Notre Dame’s tough secondary. Cashius Howell and the pass rush must assert themselves as difference-makers against a power conference offensive line.

There are so many variables at play and so much to prove for both of these teams heading into this epic matchup. Given what’s at stake, media members of A to Z Sports, who cover both teams, came together to weigh in, sharing their final score predictions for how this game might play out. Who will win? The picks are in. Enjoy!

Notre Dame 28, Texas A&M 24

Notre Dame is hoping to get back to its winning ways against the Texas A&M Aggies after suffering a season-opening loss to the Miami Hurricanes in Week 1. Marcus Freeman has done a good job of getting his teams locked in after a tough loss in the past, and now they have the home-field advantage working in their favor as well. The offense needs to get star running back Jeremiyah Love involved, and I expect them to feature him early on in this football game. Look for quarterback CJ Carr to start a little slow, but round into form down the stretch like the first game.

This Aggies offense is a much different unit with quarterback Marcel Reed behind center. Along with transfer wide receivers Kevin Concepcion and Mario Craver, this is an offense built on speed and quickness. The Irish secondary will need to have a good showing and get after Reed as a passer. – Ryan Roberts

Notre Dame 27, Texas A&M 23

Marcus Freeman’s Notre Dame offensive line struggled immensely against Miami’s talented set of pass rushers on the edge and along the interior. They may have issues once again with Cashius Howell (who had three sacks on three straight plays last week), but the problem with A&M is that they don’t have any other strong pass rushers emerging.

Only one other player even has four pass rush pressures through two games, despite playing lowly UTSA and Utah State. If the Fighting Irish can simply double up Howell and hold their own elsewhere, that might buy Carr enough time to keep the offense on schedule. The run game still needs to be better since Love barely averaged three yards per carry against Miami, but that likely can’t be any worse than it was in Week 1.

Thanks to the excellent moves that head coach Mike Elko and his staff made this offseason, Texas A&M has put together two nice offensive performances so far in 2025. Reed looks like he’s a lot more comfortable throwing the ball accurately to all three levels of the field. His wide receivers, Concepcion and Craver, are going off so far. However, their defense has been a bit leaky against suspect competition. They likely score enough points early to keep this a close game throughout, but one or two explosive plays end up costing them. Notre Dame wins 27-23. – Travis May

Notre Dame 17, Texas A&M 10

The betting line and odds on this one feel pretty good (Notre Dame by a touchdown). This doesn’t seem like a game that will be a shootout because both teams have pretty good defenses. Their offenses can do some things, but they’re lacking consistency. Notre Dame has the loss to Miami in a winnable game, and it seems as if Miami could be a pretty good football team, although USF may have something to say about that this week.

As for Texas A&M, they’ve scored at least 40 points in their previous two games, but both were games against Group of Five schools, against which they also allowed at least 20 points. This could be a game where the Aggies walk away in a tight victory, but I think the Irish get the upper hand by establishing the trenches early on, riding Love to a win. – Justin Churchill

Notre Dame 30, Texas A&M 24

It’s not hard to see why Notre Dame is a comfortable favorite in this matchup. Even though it lost against Miami in the season opener, how it failed isn’t likely to be repeated against most opponents. Only a few programs will bully Notre Dame in the trenches, and Texas A&M hasn’t shown they can win on both sides of the ball thus far.

Both young quarterbacks will have to do some heavy lifting, and it’s close to a draw for me in terms of talent and upside. Thus, I’m banking on how Texas A&M hasn’t forced enough stops through two games, allowing 24 and 22 points to two lower-tier opponents. This would be a statement win for Texas A&M, but the Irish have the toughness and identity needed to win when it gets tight. – Ian Valentino

Most betting markets have this game looking like Notre Dame is a touchdown favorite. Our team here at A to Z Sports collectively puts this game much closer to a four-point line on average, leaning towards the Fighting Irish. If that kind of outcome comes to fruition, both teams are still firmly in the mix for the college football playoff, but one certainly (re)gains the inside track.

We’ll be back with more Notre Dame Fighting Irish and Texas A&M Aggies coverage here at A to Z Sports soon! Follow me (@FF_TravisM) and A to Z Sports (@AtoZSportsNFL) on X for all the latest football news!