Notre Dame Knocks Off Texas A&M: Instant Takeaways from Thriller

Notre Dame's biggest road win in over a decade has Irish thinking big

Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) attempts to pass the ball during the first quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

Notre Dame was a three point underdog entering Saturday night at Texas A&M and instead walked out with a massive win that has College Football Playoff implications and Notre Dame fans talking title contention.

23-13 certainly wasn't easy but it got the job done and now huge things appear that much more attainable for the Fighting Irish.

Here are my instant takeaways from Notre Dame's MASSIVE season opening win at Texas A&M!

Notre Dame's Biggest Road Win in 12 Years

Notre Dame has had some nice road wins in recent years but nothing like Saturday night was.

All of the talk of the moment being too big for a young offensive line and a head coach who didn't have a big road win on his resume - it has been silenced as were the roughly 107,000 Texas A&M fans at Kyle Field.

Not since going to Oklahoma and winning in 2012 has Notre Dame had a road victory this significant.

The win puts Notre Dame in the drivers seat with a favorable schedule ahead where from this point, anything short of hosting a College Football Playoff game at Notre Dame Stadium the week of Christmas will be a disappointment.

Mike Denbrock's 60 Minute Offense

A lot of my thoughts on this game were built on Notre Dame's offense struggling for so much of the night, which it did.

However, it came alive when it needed to. The run game, which I'll complain about a bit later on, was just like novocaine as the coach in Remember the Titans describes it.

"Give it time and it'll work."

Notre Dame's running game didn't exist for almost the entire first half, and struggled for large parts of the second. Until it didn't.

Jadarain Price broke free late in the third quarter for a 47-yard touchdown run before Jeremiyah Love broke his final big run of the night to put Notre Dame ahead 20-13 in the fourth quarter. It wasn't pretty early or often, but it was lights out late.

Notre Dame's Rushing Attack

Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) is tackled by Texas A&M Aggies defensive back Jayvon Thomas (14) in the first quarter at Kyle Field. / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

"Keep pounding the rock!"

How many times do you hear it? Notre Dame couldn't get anything going on the ground until late in the first half when things started to click for a short time. Notre Dame finally found pay dirt thanks to a 47-yard Jadarian Price touchdown run late in the third quarter, but the rushing attack was still anything but reliable.

Despite runs of 47 and 29 yards (Jeremiyah Love), Notre Dame still managed just 61 more yards on 23 attempts early in the fourth quarter. That led to a ton of short possessions.

Then midway through the fourth quarter everything changed.

Third Down Offensive Woes...Until There Weren't

Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish quarterback Riley Leonard (13) throws a pass under pressure from Texas A&M Aggies quarterback Conner Weigman (15) during the first quarter at Kyle Field. / Maria Lysaker-USA TODAY Sports

What do you get when you mix a running game that couldn't put up three or four yards with any regularity on early downs with a downfield passing attack that is pretty much non-existent?

A lot of third and longs.

Notre Dame was an anemic 1-10 on third down with roughly five minutes to play. Riley Leonard found Jaden Greathouse on a third and five that turned the entire tide of the fourth quarter. As bad as it was for almost the entire night, Notre Dame hit it when it counted.

Greathouse's reception turned the tide of not just the drive but the entire game.

The running game then came back alive and Notre Dame was off and running.

Notre Dame Penalties

As expected, Texas A&M's crowd played a factor in Saturday night's contest as it certainly didn't help with a number of Notre Dame's first starts. However, it wasn't all the crowd. Notre Dame was regularly shooting itself in the foot Saturday night with penalties that extended drives and added Texas A&M points to the scoreboard. Howard Cross' illegal hands to the face on Texas A&M's game-tying drive in the fourth quarter was one, but in total Notre Dame gave away 99 penalty yards to Texas A&M's 55.

Reggie Ho Part II?

Notre Dame went into the transfer portal and got itself one of the very best kickers in the country in Mitch Jeter. Jeter was huge Saturday night, hitting all three field goal attempts in the 23-13 victory.

Notre Dame found the end zone twice on the night but based off how important he was keeping the Irish tied early on, Mitch Jeter brings back memories of some to Reggie Ho's heroic and necessary performance in the 1988 opener.

Al Golden's Pressures

Can you give a game ball to an assistant coach?

Al Golden, who just signed an extension for a well-earned raise this off-season, deserves one.

The pressures he was able to dial up with regularity Saturday night paid off in huge ways from jump. Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman was never comfortable and as a result you saw hurried passes, turnovers, and really no threat of a downfield A&M passing game all night.

Golden was even better than advertised Saturday night.

Marcus Freeman Quiets the Doubters

Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame had struggled going on the road together the last two years. Brutal loses at Louisville and Clemson last year coupled with a poor showing while handing Caleb Williams the Heisman Trophy at USC in 2022 come to mind.

It's fire and passion to some, but it's leadership to others.

Just the way Marcus Freeman composed himself while leading the Irish onto the field Saturday night showed a man that wasn't about to flinch in front of 107,000 screaming Texas A&M fans, and the team clearly fed off that.

Plenty more postgame coverage to come here at Notre Dame on Sports Illustrated so keep it here for all of the reaction to Notre Dame's MASSIVE victory.