College GameDay podcast makes conflicting picks on Notre Dame vs. Texas A&M

After a bye in Week 2, Notre Dame returns to action this weekend in South Bend against Texas A&M. The Fighting Irish fell to Miami in Week 1 and will be looking for their first win of the season.

A loss could all but end Notre Dame’s chances of returning to the College Football Playoff. Ahead of the showdown, ESPN’s Pete Thamel and Rece Davis made their predictions on the latest episode of the College GameDay podcast.

“I’m going to take Gig ‘Em here,” Thamel explained. “It was a coin-flip game last year — a trench game, low scoring. I think Marcel Reed’s experience could lead to him having a breakout, signature victory.”

However, Davis didn’t agree with his colleague: “Give me Notre Dame,” he responded. “I think, in prime time at home, Notre Dame’s defense will be good enough. I’ll take the Irish.”

At the moment, oddsmakers favor Davis’ pick in 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.

That would be a welcome result for the Fighting Irish, as starting 0-2 would be a nightmare scenario. At least they can take confidence in the team’s 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.

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, with Davis riding with the Irish, while Thamel is backing the Aggies.

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