Paul Finebaum details if Notre Dame could still reach College Football Playoff with a loss to Texas A&M

Notre Dame suffered a season-opening defeat at the hands of Miami in Week 1. After a bye in Week 2, the Fighting Irish return to action this weekend in South Bend against Texas A&M.

Paul Finebaum believes it’s paramount that Marcus Freeman’s team avoids a second straight loss. Falling to the Aggies, he argued, could all but end their chances of returning to the College Football Playoff.

“The only way they could do that is if they get a lot of help,” Finebaum explained on Always College Football with Greg McElroy. “They would need Southern Cal to be great. I’m trying to think who else could help them on the schedule, but really, they’d have to get help. I think they’d be in a terribly awkward spot.

“Now, if Texas A&M has a good run, those could end up being two really strong losses. So, they’d need a big win over a ranked USC, and they’d need A&M and Miami to be serious contenders on the other side.”

Starting 0-2 would be a nightmare scenario for Notre Dame, but the Irish can take confidence in their recent history with the Aggies. Last season, they went to College Station and came away with a 10-point victory, pulling away in the second half after the game was tied 6-6 at halftime.

Quarterback Riley Leonard didn’t have his sharpest performance, finishing 18 of 30 for 158 yards without a touchdown, but he contributed 63 rushing yards on 12 carries. The real difference came from the backfield tandem of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price. Love carried the ball for 91 yards and a score, while Price added 44 yards and another touchdown.

On the other side, Texas A&M quarterback Conner Weigman struggled against the Irish defense. He went just 12 of 30 for 100 yards with two interceptions, while adding only 26 rushing yards. The Aggies’ lone bright spot was running back Le’Veon Moss, who rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries.

Looking ahead to this weekend, oddsmakers favor the Irish. According to BetMGM, Notre Dame is a 6.5-point favorite, with -220 moneyline odds compared to +180 for the Aggies. The over/under is set at 50.5 points.

Now, the question is whether Notre Dame can bounce back from their opening loss or if Texas A&M will exact revenge for last year’s disappointment. Either way, both teams bring plenty of talent to the table, and South Bend is bracing for what should be a dramatic showdown.