Notre Dame Fighting Irish vs. Texas A&M Aggies Week 1 predictions

No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish will start their season on the road against the No. 20 Texas A&M Aggies.

We are seeing the best team on paper in the Marcus Freeman era.

The Fighting Irish have an elite offensive line and a new quarterback, Riley Leonard, who transferred from Duke. Leonard can bring excitement to Notre Dame's season. Notre Dame looks excellent and must have a solid start to the season.

When you come to South Bend and wear the uniform, you must join the program and be highly competitive. Hard work and winning are vital for this program. Coach Freeman knows what’s at stake.

The team is good enough to make the playoffs but aims for the grand prize. In Week 1, the Fighting Irish’s offensive line will face the Aggies' defensive line. One of these two teams will have the edge. 

Leonard is the anti-Sam Hartman because he can beat you with his legs. His running ability is his biggest asset. He needs to get out of the pocket more fast. Hartman is the type of quarterback who likes to throw the ball. 

We understand that this is a new experience for Leonard, but the important thing for him is to gel and build chemistry with his teammates quickly. Gaining his teammate's trust will be crucial early in the season for Leonard. 

In 2022, Leonard led the Blue Devils in rushing with 699 yards and 13 touchdowns on 129 carries. During the 2023 season, Leonard posted 352 yards on the ground with four touchdowns on 58 carries in the seven games he suited up for. 

The team has other talented players like tight end Mitchell Evans. The 21-year-old senior caught 29 receptions for 422 yards last season. He suffered a torn ACL in the eighth game of the season.

Can you imagine his numbers if he had not gone down with the injury? Evans is arguably a top-five tight end in College Football. 

It’s time for Evans to redeem himself, and hopefully, he can stay on the field. Recovering from ACL injuries is complex, but it’s not impossible to find success again. 

Only five teams have met each other historically. The Fighting Irish are 3-2 against the Aggies. Their first meeting was at the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Day in 1988. 

The Fighting Irish are the better team this season, but they can’t underestimate the Aggies’ defense.

Notre Dame Fighting Irish will play the Texas A&M Aggies on ABC on Saturday, August 31, at 7:30 p.m. 

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