SOUTH BEND, Ind. — No. 8 Notre Dame hasn’t even taken a snap on its home turf, and coaches and players already are using the word “urgency.”
Early-season losses do that to a playoff hopeful — something nobody knows better than the Irish, who lost coach Marcus Freeman’s debut in 2022 and stumbled in Week 2 last season.
So for the third time in four years, Notre Dame (0-1) will spend Saturday trying to get its season back on track when No. 16 Texas A&M (2-0) comes to town. It’s a lesson the Irish have learned the hard way.
“Last year gives us confidence, playing teams like that, playing NFL-caliber guys and playing ranked, top-10 teams,” running back Jadarian Price said when asked about starting this season against two ranked teams. “It just makes us feel good as a team and just getting better every week and also shaking off all the haters saying our schedule is not the hardest.”
Irish players certainly have been here before.
In 2022, Freeman lost his first two games: 21-10 at Ohio State and 26-21 at home against Marshall. The 2023 season was undone by two midseason losses during a three-game stretch: at home against the Buckeyes and at Louisville.
And after winning 23-13 at Texas A&M to open last season, the Irish inexplicably fell 16-14 at home to Northern Illinois in Week 2 — a result that threatened to dash Notre Dame’s playoff hopes again. But the Irish rebounded with 13 straight wins before falling to Ohio State in the national championship game.
This year Notre Dame rallied from a 21-7 deficit at then-No. 10 Miami. It tied the score at 24 on CJ Carr’s 7-yard TD run with 3:21 to go, only to give up the go-ahead field goal on the Hurricanes’ final drive.
Carr was a solid 19 of 30 for 221 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in his first college start.
After a bye week to contemplate corrections, Freeman is more willing to unleash Carr against the Aggies (2-0), knowing an 0-2 start could knock them out of the playoff picture before the season kicks into high gear.
“From what we learned last year, there’s a sense of urgency week in and week out,” said Price, who led Notre Dame with 45 rushing yards against Miami. “It doesn’t matter who we’re playing.”
Staying grounded
The Irish need more from their running game than they had in Week 1, particularly from preseason All-American Jeremiyah Love, who had only 33 yards on 10 carries.
Texas A&M coach Mike Elko knows just how challenging this matchup will be.
“It’s as talented as a duo as I’ve played against,” Elko said. “The only thing that I can remember in the ballpark was when I was actually at Notre Dame (as defensive coordinator in 2017) and we played (Georgia’s) Nick Chubb and Sony Michel. That group was really talented, but these two kids are really, really good.”
Double trouble?
The Aggies rely heavily on quarterback Marcel Reed, who averaged 5.8 yards per carry while throwing for 509 yards and seven touchdowns in the first two games. He took over as the starter midway through last season after rallying the Aggies to a 38-23 victory against No. 8 LSU and former Irish coach Brian Kelly.
Reed left in the third quarter of last week’s 44-22 victory against Utah State with an undisclosed injury though he’s expected to start Saturday. But the bigger challenge will be facing an opponent as talented as the Irish after opening the season against UTSA and Utah State.
“He’s really matured as a passer,” Elko said. “He has matured in his understanding of the offense and what it all looks like. He’s got a better feel and rhythm for the passing game. He’s had a really, really good first two games. Obviously the quality of opposition is about to ramp up really, really high, and so I know he’s looking forward and excited for the challenge.”
AP’s Kristie Rieken in Houston contributed.