SOUTH BEND, IN – SEPTEMBER 13: Donovan Hinish #41 and Jason Onye #47 of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish tackle Le’Veon Moss #8 of the Texas A&M Aggies during a college football game on September 13, 2025 at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind
SOUTH BEND, Ind. – It was a heartbreaker in South Bend.
Notre Dame football’s offense was stellar. Texas A&M just had the last laugh. A touchdown on fourth and 11 lifted the Aggies 41-40 after the Irish botched a point after Jeremiyah Love’s fourth-quarter touchdown.
Now, Notre Dame is 0-2
Here’s what we liked and loathed from Notre Dame hosting Texas A&M in a massive top-20 showdown between College Football Playoff hopefuls.
Liked: Jadarian Price
Notre Dame would have been well out of this game if it weren’t for Jadarian Price. The Irish’s second back provided a key change of pace, especially when A&M kept zeroing in on Jeremiyah Love.
They trusted Price so much, they ran him on third and nine. He picked up 24 yards and a first down.
In the third quarter, he scored to regain the lead. He had an 11-yard run to set up Notre Dame in the red zone to start the fourth quarter.
Love is still the best player on offense for Notre Dame. He caught a touchdown pass where he used one hand to corral the football and his moves to get into the end zone.
But, Price showed he’s also one of the best running backs in college football. When teams plan for Love’s quickness, they also have to plan for Price’s power on his runs.
Liked: Notre Dame special teams
Give Marty Biagi a pat on the back after this one. The Irish special teams coordinator had himself a good day.
Notre Dame opened the game by forcing a punt, but then got on the board right away. Loghan Thomas blocked the ensuing punt and Tae Johnson returned it for a touchdown. That set the tone for Notre Dame, and the Irish rode that success to a 24-14 lead.
In the third quarter, James Rendell pinned the Aggies at their own one-yard line. It was a near-perfect punt. After a three-and-out, the Irish also had a 20-yard punt return by Jordan Faison to set up a touchdown.
It was a rough showing by the Aggies. Even better execution by the Irish to take advantage in a phase of the game they could.
Loathed: Notre Dame special teams
When the Irish special teams came up with massive scores, they botched the point after Jeremiyah Love’s 12-yard go-ahead touchdown.
The one point was the difference.
Special teams giveth, and special teams taketh away.
Loathed: Notre Dame’s defensive struggles
Last year, Notre Dame’s defense was the reason it won games and made a run in the College Football Playoff.
So far, the Irish defense under first-year defensive coordinator Chris Ash has given up 55 points. The first half of Saturday’s game was a difficult scene.
Texas A&M was moving the ball at will. Marcel Reed averaged 28.4 yards per completion. KC Conception and Mario Craver were carving the Irish defense. Craver had an 86-yard touchdown to tie the game when the Irish defensive backs failed to wrap him up.
The Aggies scored 21 points in the second quarter to take a 28-24 lead into halftime. There was one real mistake by Reed, when he tried Leonard Moore in a one-on-one situation. Moore routinely turned around and intercepted the pass.
There was no answer for the Texas A&M offense in the first half. They responded in the second half by allowing three points in the third quarter. It got harder from there.
The defense took a hit in the fourth quarter when the referees tagged safety Adon Shuler with targeting. That took him out of the game. The defense needed to make a play, and they had chances. On third and 12, Le’Veon Moss ran for a first down instead of a stop. They got a stop to force a field goal.
They would need one more before the game ended.
The Irish couldn’t get it. Texas A&M celebrated into the night.
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