The No. 8 Notre Dame Fighting Irish (0-1) take on the No. 16 Texas A&M Aggies (2-0) on Saturday, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m. ET on NBC.
With the game taking place in South Bend, Notre Dame comes into this game as a 6.5-point favorite (-235 on the moneyline), while Georgia is a +6.5 underdog (+190 on the moneyline). The over/under, meanwhile, comes in at 50.5 total points.
The Fighting Irish suffered a 27-24 loss to a now-top-5 Miami team in Week 1, while the Aggies have cruised to 42-24 and 44-22 wins over UTSA and Utah State, respectively.
Let's take a look at our Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M picks and college football predictions for this top-16 clash on Saturday, Sept. 13.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Picks, Predictions
By Pete Ruden
Notre Dame and Texas A&M have only faced each other six times in the history of college football. But after renewing their series in Week 1 in 2024, it has quickly become one of the best early-season matchups across the country.
The Fighting Irish picked up a 23-13 win in College Station last season to begin a stellar year that ended with a College Football Playoff National Championship appearance.
Before that game, the two sides hadn't squared off since the Aggies pulled off a 24-3 win in 2001.
And this time, there's a lot on the line.
Notre Dame already enters this game at 0-1 after losing to Miami in Week 1. While this would by no means be a bad loss, the Fighting Irish would likely have to run the table to even be considered for the College Football Playoff if they were to lose.
On the Texas A&M side, this would be a massive momentum-building win. After struggling in big games in 2023, the Aggies rose to the occasion with two top-10 wins a season ago. However, they still lost to Texas in the regular-season finale with a spot in the SEC Championship on the line.
A win here would do wonders for their confidence as they prepare to face a comference schedule that features five teams that are currently ranked.
So, where does the value lie with a spread sitting at under a touchdown? We polled our staff of college football writers to get their thoughts on the spread and over/under.
Let's dive in.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Spread Pick
Our Spread Pick: Texas A&M +6.5
Notre Dame is favored by about a touchdown Saturday night in South Bend.
The Fighting Irish were upset at Miami in their season opener. Off a bye week, head coach Marcus Freeman typically excels with extra time, going 11-2 against the spread.
However, the Action Analytics team will gladly take the points with Texas A&M and head coach Mike Elko. The Aggies to cover the spread garnered 75% of the team vote for Saturday’s marquee matchup.
Texas A&M failed to cover last week’s lofty point spread vs. Utah State in a 44-22 win. However, betting angles developed by our director of research, Evan Abrams, reveal a potential bounce-back spot for the Aggies against the spread.
The “Early Road Redemption” model has posted a 56% win rate. Essentially, this system highlights that road underdogs, early in the season, are primed to cover the spread off a loss against the spread, under certain, unique conditions such as temperature and closing total.
Last year, Freeman and Notre Dame marched into Kyle Field and stunned the Aggies to open the season.
We’ll side with Elko’s Aggies to cover the spread Saturday in South Bend — and perhaps they’ll get revenge in the process as a live ‘dog.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Over/Under Pick
Over 50.5 | 3 Picks |
Pass | 1 Pick |
Under 50.5 | 4 Picks |
Our Over/Under Pick: Under 50.5
Our staff has decided on the under here, and there are a number of reasons.
The biggest one is how chaotic Notre Dame looked on offense against the Hurricanes. The Fighting Irish come into this game ranked 125th in Havoc Allowed — granted, that did come against a good Miami team.
While quarterback CJ Carr is a tough kid and I'm sure he'll be a successful player in the future, he looked flustered in Week 1. He posted a PFF grade of 68 with several throws he wishes he could have back.
However, he wasn't the only reason for his average grade.
The offensive line struggled to protect him. Carr had just 2.5 seconds to throw on average, and the Irish's offensive line ranked 133rd in PFF’s pass block grade. That's not going to be ideal against an Aggies team that ranks 20th in PFF pash rush grade.
Look for Texas A&M to bring pressure early and often to put Carr into uncomfortable positions, much like Miami did.
Expect Notre Dame’s defense to rebound after a performance that put it at 107th in PFF's defensive grades. Marcus Freeman’s squad was great last year, and I expect it to bounce back.
The offense didn't exactly help them out in Week 1, so any improvement would only help the defense, especially in the field-position battle.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Player Prop Pick
Jeremiyah Love Over 75.5 Rushing Yards (Play to 79.5)
By Alex Hinton
To most NFL Draft and college football analysts, Jeremiyah Love entered this season regarded as one of the nation’s top returning running backs after running for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns last season.
However, Notre Dame offensive coordinator Mike Denbrock didn't make getting his best player the ball a priority in the season-opening loss to Miami. The Fighting Irish then fell behind, leading to a pass-heavy game script Love finishing with only 10 carries.
Getting the ball in Love's hands has to be a priority this week, especially with two weeks to prepare.
That's especially true considering the fact that Texas A&M allowed 203 rushing yards in its victory over UTSA. Robert Henry Jr. went for 177 yards, including touchdown scampers of 15 and 75 yards.
Texas A&M was better against the run last week, but Utah State running back Miles Davis still averaged five yards per carry.
The Aggies are breaking in a new group on the defensive line after several NFL departures. But neither UTSA nor Utah State’s offensive lines match the caliber of Notre Dame’s group, so Love should have plenty of running room.
The Irish ran for 198 yards against Texas A&M last season, as Love led the way with 91 yards. He ripped off a run of 29 yards and iced the game with a 21-yard touchdown.
Love has become known for his explosive runs, and with his line under 80 yards, one or multiple long runs could do most of the heavy lifting here.
Love ran for 76 yards in eight of his first 13 games last season before being limited by injury. I like him to get back on track this week, and I also like him to rack up 100 rushing yards, which you can bet at +174 at FanDuel.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Odds
| Notre Dame Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-6.5 -115 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | -235 |
| Texas A&M Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+6.5 -105 | 50.5 -110o / -110u | +190 |
- Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Spread: Notre Dame -6.5, Texas A&M +6.5
- Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Total: 50.5
- Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Moneyline: Notre Dame -235, Texas A&M +190
