Paul Finebaum: Notre Dame is feeling the heat entering Week 3 vs. Texas A&M

Paul Finebaum has some concern regarding Notre Dame. After their season-opening loss to Miami and a week off in Week 2, the ESPN analyst has some questions for the Fighting Irish heading into their Week 3 showdown with Texas A&M.

It’s the second-straight season that the Aggies and the Fighting Irish will face off, after their battle in College Station in 2024. Notre Dame won that one, but if they don’t handle their business in South Bend this time around, Finebaum believes they can kiss the College Football Playoff goodbye.

“Last year, this game was the opener. A&M just wasn’t ready, and they slopped around and let Notre Dame win. But this game carries more weight now—especially for Notre Dame. They feel the heat,” Finebaum stated, via The Matt Barrie Show. “If they lose, they could be out of the Playoff before we even get to the first day of autumn.

“I think pressure is on, and that might tilt things a bit toward Texas A&M. Still, it’s only Sunday, and there’s a long way to go before Saturday afternoon in South Bend. But make no mistake—this is a sneaky, sneaky great game.”

Alas, history tells us Finebaum is right — this should be a great one between the Irish and the Aggies. When these two teams met in 2024, Texas A&M fell just short at home. Notre Dame defeated the Aggies by ten points, pulling away in the second half after being tied at 6-6 at halftime.

Riley Leonard didn’t have his best game for Notre Dame, completing 18 of 30 pass attempts for 158 yards and no touchdowns. However, he ran for 63 yards on 12 carries, doing just enough to lead his team to the win.

It was the running back duo of Jeremiyah Love and Jadarian Price who led Notre Dame in College Station. Love rushed for 91 yards and a touchdown, while Price accumulated 44 yards and a touchdown on the ground. That ended up being the difference.

Meanwhile, Conner Weigman had a rough game against the Notre Dame defense for Texas A&M. He only completed 12 of his 30 pass attempts for 100 yards and two interceptions. He ran for 26 yards, but that was a measly number for the Aggies offense who couldn’t get anything going.

Their production came from running back Le’Veon Moss. He had 20 carries for 70 yards and a touchdown against the Fighting Irish defense, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the offense’s shortcomings in 2024.

Time will tell which team between Texas A&M and Notre Dame is victorious. Both squads have a ton of potential this season, and one way to realize it is with a win over the other. When this game kicks off under the lights in Week 3, it seems like Paul Finebaum’s attention will be on Notre Dame.