Will Texas A&M’s Brutal Loss to South Carolina Impact Notre Dame’s CFP Chances?

Texas A&M's tough loss to South Carolina could have ripple effects on Notre Dame’s playoff hopes. Here’s how it might play out.

Aug 31, 2024; College Station, Texas, USA; Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) runs the ball for a touchdown in the fourth quarter against the Texas A&M Aggies at Kyle Field. Mandatory Credit: Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images / Maria Lysaker-Imagn Images

Texas A&M went from hero to zero one week to the next

While Notre Dame had collected wins earlier in the season from a then-ranked Louisville and Navy, undoubtedly the Irish's most impressive victory both practically and perceptually was the win over Texas A&M in College Station by double digits.

As each week has passed by, this victory has looked more and more impressive as Texas A&M has continued to win, until Saturday night in South Carolina.

After an emotional and intense victory over LSU the week before that garnered national praise, the Aggies got beat down by South Carolina 20-44 in a game that ended up getting ugly and out of hand. Certainly, this result takes some shine off of Notre Dame's most impressive win, but not as much as some may think when you look at the details.

South Carolina Blows Out #10 Texas A&M👀 pic.twitter.com/rRFX7KO3Zo

— PFF College (@PFF_College) November 3, 2024

Aggies still in the hunt for SEC title game appearance

Perceptually, this ugly loss by the Aggies hurts them and by default, Notre Dame. But not as much as many would think. Even though Texas A&M now has two losses, only one of them is an SEC loss. Because of that, the Aggies are still in the position to be able to compete for a spot in the SEC title game.

While the "true national contender" talk will now die down regarding Texas A&M, the victory over them is still a great feather in Notre Dame's cap and their loss to South Carolina will not drastically move the needle against Notre Dame in any major way. It'll be interesting to see how the Aggies perform the rest of the way and if they can land a spot in the SEC title game.

For more Irish news & notes follow John on Twitter @alwaysirishINC, Always Irish on Youtube and or your preferred audio podcast provider.

Why the College Football Playoff Committee May Struggle to Properly Rank Notre Dame

Notre Dame Fans React to the Major 2025 Football Schedule Update

Notre Dame’s Defense Set to Lead the Way in November Playoff Push

Notre Dame’s 2025 Football Schedule: A Beast in the Making