Riding a two-game winning streak, No. 16 Texas A&M football encounters its first true test of the 2025 season when it travels to South Bend, Indiana, to take on No. 8 Notre Dame in primetime. It will be a rematch of two College Football Playoff hopefuls that met a season ago, both with a history of excellence and player success.
In the glory days of Notre Dame football, star players such as wide receiver Tim Brown and quarterback Joe Montana used their development with the Fighting Irish to enjoy success at the highest level in the NFL and rack up All-Pro accolades.
As for A&M, the gridiron legends appeared later, as indomitable defenders like defensive end Myles Garrett and outside linebacker Von Miller are the modern answer to Notre Dame’s Hall of Famers of the past, collecting over 200 sacks in the NFL between the two.
The Aggies have set the tone against UTSA and Utah State, as redshirt sophomore QB Marcel Reed’s eight total touchdowns cruised the Maroon and White to a pair of 40-plus-point victories. Notre Dame, on the other hand, is coming off an early bye week after a 27-24 loss to then-No. 10 Miami in its only action of the year.
The Fighting Irish will pit the Aggies’ defense against redshirt freshman QB CJ Carr, a Michigan native who performed admirably in their loss to the Hurricanes. His three total touchdowns kept Notre Dame in the game, though Miami was able to generate enough pressure to ward off any final blows.
Both squads have towering expectations for their rushing attacks, although neither unit has quite come into form yet. Junior running back Jeremiyah Love was a Preseason All-American, but was only able to muster 33 yards on the ground against Miami. On the other hand, senior RB Le’Veon Moss has 87 yards through two games after entering the season with Preseason First Team All-SEC honors.
Perhaps one of the most pivotal matchups to follow will be the Notre Dame defensive line and the A&M offensive line, where the trenches could determine the winner of the contest.
Highlighted by graduate guard Ar’maj Reed-Adams, the “Maroon Goons” will have to stand tall against powerful defenders like junior defensive lineman Boubacar Traore to keep Reed safe and churn out some rushing yards.
Notre Dame’s secondary will pose a challenge for Reed, who has thrown at least three touchdown passes in his last three games — the second-longest streak A&M has seen since 2004. The Fighting Irish blanketed Miami defenders for the most part, though they still surrendered two touchdowns to the Hurricanes.
Luckily for the Fightin’ Farmers, they have their own not-so-secret weapon on defense: graduate DL Cashius Howell. Transferring from Bowling Green a season ago, Howell has found his place with the Aggies on defense. Against Utah State, Howell recorded back-to-back-to-back sacks — becoming the first player to do so since 2015.
Moreover, the dynamic duo of tackling-terror junior and senior linebackers Taurean York and Scooby Williams has imposed their will on opposing offenses. With a combined 24 total tackles and a sack, the two have commanded the field as generals on defense while putting themselves and other defenders in position to make plays. The young Notre Dame offensive line will have to work hard to keep these two away after giving up three sacks to Miami.
A win over the Fighting Irish would grant the Aggies a signature victory while doubling as a huge step forward in the path to the 2026 College Football Playoff. A&M coach Mike Elko and Reed have upset a superior opponent before in last year’s win over then-No. 8 LSU, though now they will have to replicate it 1,125 miles from home.
Can the Maroon and White bring balance to college football and defeat the Blue and Gold, or is it the will of the Force that the Aggies fall at the hands of the Fathers? Only time will tell who emerges victorious in this battle for the ages.
