Jeremiyah Love’s 21-yard touchdown run with 1:54 remaining in the game broke the tie and secured a 23-13 victory for No. 7 Notre Dame against No. 20 Texas A&M in both teams’ opening game. Love’s impressive display saw him elude two defenders before scoring the decisive touchdown. Christian Gray’s interception on fourth down sealed the win for the Fighting Irish, who later extended their lead with a 46-yard field goal by Mitch Jeter.
In a standout debut for Notre Dame, Riley Leonard, a transfer from Duke, excelled with 158 passing yards and 63 rushing yards. Despite the victory, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman acknowledged the need for improvement but praised his team’s effort and ability to avoid critical mistakes.
On the other side, it was the inaugural game for Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, who aimed to elevate the team after a disappointing previous season but now faces a 0-1 start. Elko emphasized the importance of playing the game according to their plan and striving for improvement.
Notre Dame dominated the ground game with 198 rushing yards, spearheaded by Love’s 91 yards. The Fighting Irish defense proved to be formidable, holding Texas A&M to just 246 total yards. Texas A&M linebacker Taurean York highlighted the need to bolster their run defense after Notre Dame’s ground attack.
Television cameras captured quarterback Conner Weigman being sick on the sideline during the game, with coach Elko downplaying it as a minor incident. Despite the setback, Weigman will aim to improve as Texas A&M prepares for upcoming matchups.
Notre Dame will face Northern Illinois next, while Texas A&M is set to host McNeese State. Both teams will be looking to build on their performances as the season progresses.
