When the 2024 Notre Dame football schedule was officially released, three obvious tests were on the calendar: Week 1 against Texas A&M, Nov. 9 at home against Florida State, and Nov. 30 at USC.
With Florida State’s lackluster performance in their opener against Georgia Tech, Notre Dame’s schedule suddenly seems more manageable — if they can get past Texas A&M in their opener.
And that is a big if.
Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M Betting Preview
The Irish have high expectations again this season, but after falling short year after year, the pressure is on to deliver in South Bend.
Conversely, the Aggies open their season against Notre Dame and close it against Texas. With several winnable games in between, they have a legitimate shot at a College Football Playoff spot if they can secure a win here.
With the Mike Elko era officially kicking off in College Station, vibes and expectations will be high as the Aggies welcome the Irish for an electric Week 1 matchup at Kyle Field.
All Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of (Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024).
- Spread
Texas A&M -3 (-108) - Moneyline
Texas A&M -155 / Notre Dame +130 - Over/Under
46.5 - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
Kyle Field | College Station, Texas - Predicted Weather at Kick
87* Mostly Cloudy - How to Watch
ABC
On the spread, the line movement for Notre Dame and Texas has been everywhere. The Aggies officially opened as -1, but the betting public and sharps jumped on the Irish as opening dogs, and the line moved to Notre Dame -1 as of July 19.
However, there was a significant market correction as money started pouring in on Texas A&M, and the Aggies went from +1 underdogs to -2.5 favorites in less than a month.
The line finally moved to Texas A&M as a full possession favorite on Aug. 21, and it still stands at Aggies -3.
With how much attention this game is drawing, that number could come down to -2.5 or perhaps even jump up to -3.5 if the Texas A&M money keeps coming in.
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The moneyline hasn’t been quite as volatile as the opening line, which matched the spread. Texas A&M opened as a -110 favorite, but that line has slowly crept up to Aggies -150.
Since the opening number of 50.5, the total has been consistently bet down. It was immediately bet down to 49 and has continued to fall all the way to 46.5, where it sits now. The only direction this number will move before kickoff is down.
Prediction for Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M
Conner Weigman, returning from injury after missing the final eight games of the 2023 season, has the potential to succeed if he sticks to offensive coordinator Collin Klein’s game plan. Opportunities in the passing game will open up if the Aggies’ running game establishes an early rhythm.
That running game starts with Le’Veon Moss. Moss has shown vision and the ability to cut without losing speed, combined with a second-level burst, to thrive in Klein’s effective running scheme.
Despite dealing with injuries, the junior managed to rush for nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns on 96 carries last season. If he can get the offense going early, it will open up the playbook for the Aggies.
On paper, the trends do not look good for Texas A&M. Notre Dame has won six of its last seven road openers.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M has struggled against top competition, losing its previous four games against top-15 AP-ranked teams and failing to cover the spread in each of its last five games against AP-ranked opponents.
In contrast, Notre Dame has covered the spread in four of its last five matchups against Southeastern Conference teams.
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But this is a new era under Elko in College Station.
Elko made headlines early last season when his Duke team pulled off a shocking upset over Clemson in Week 1. While Texas A&M beating Notre Dame wouldn’t be as surprising, it would undoubtedly be a significant statement to kick off a new era for the Aggies.
The defenses will dominate this game, and the Texas A&M defense will be much improved. They Aggies have added former Purdue standout Nic Scourton, who is expected to be a major force for opposing offenses. In the secondary, cornerbacks Trey Jones and BJ Mayes have transferred in to build one of the deeper secondaries in the SEC.
The critical difference will be Texas A&M’s defensive front, which is talented enough to disrupt Riley Leonard and force him to make a lot of big-time throws.
It will be a tightly contested battle between two excellent football teams, but the atmosphere and energy at Kyle Field prove too tough for the Irish, who will lose their fourth straight road game against a ranked opponent.
Prediction: Texas A&M 24, Notre Dame 17
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