A highly-anticipated matchup featuring No. 7 Notre Dame traveling to Kyle Field to face No. 20 Texas A&M is right around the corner. Both teams are looking to add an early and impressive win to their resumes. 

The College Football Playoff landscape has changed. Twelve teams now make the bracket, which puts more pressure on players to perform at their highest level. Here are a few players to watch in primetime this Saturday. 

Conner Weigman, sophomore quarterback

After suffering a devastating foot injury in 2023, Weigman returned for his redshirt sophomore season, working under newly-hired coach Mike Elko and offensive coordinator Collin Klein. In Weigman’s first season as a freshman with the Maroon and White in 2022, he started four games before earning the starting job in 2023. 

In the air, Weigman has recorded 1,875 yards passing and 16 touchdowns with only two interceptions in two years. Can college football fans expect another elite start by Weigman and witness his first full season as a healthy starting quarterback? 

Le’Veon Moss and Amari Daniels, junior running backs

Unexpectedly, sophomore RB Rueben Owens likely suffered a season-ending foot injury during a fall scrimmage. Fortunately for the Aggies, they retained two experienced veteran running backs who did not enter the transfer portal in Moss and Daniels, who combined for over 1,000 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns last season. 

With 96 carries, Moss was a boss on the ground with 484 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Daniels led the team with 105 carries, producing 532 rushing yards and six touchdowns. 

Daniels, a four-star prospect from Miami, joined the Maroon and White in 2021. Before landing with the Aggies, Daniels was an All-American Bowl selection, the 16th best all-purpose back in the country and 35th-best prospect out of Florida. 

Both running backs will be heavily utilized in the run game, but the question remains: who will Elko elect to earn the starting job?

Riley Leonard, senior QB

One of the biggest acquisitions of the offseason for Notre Dame came when Leonard decided to transfer from Duke. There is one coach who is familiar with Leonard’s athleticism and ability to make big plays before his injuries kept him off the field. His name is Mike Elko, former Duke head coach, who will be on the opposite sideline of Leonard for the first time in the last two seasons. 

While at Duke, Leonard started in 21 out of his 27 games played in three seasons with the Blue Devils. He racked up 4,450 passing yards with 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while rushing for 1,224 yards and 19 scores. The 6-foot-4, 216-pounder is highly capable of reading defenses and maneuvering through traffic. 

Benjamin Morrison, junior cornerback

During his freshman season, the 6-foot, 190-pounder Morrison was awarded 2022 All-America honors by On3, College Football News, Pro Football Focus, The Athletic and 247Sports, accumulating 33 tackles and six interceptions with four pass breakups. His sophomore year consisted of 31 tackles, 3 1/2 for loss, and leading the Irish with 10 pass breakups. 

Considering the Fighting Irish finished 2023 as the top team in pass efficiency defense and fifth in total defense, it should be fun to watch what Morrison can bring to the defensive side of the ball.