Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed delivered the biggest throw of his young career on Saturday night, escaping heavy pressure to find tight end Nate Boerkircher for an 11-yard touchdown with 13 seconds remaining. Randy Bond’s extra point sealed a 41-40 win for the No. 16 Aggies over No. 8 Notre Dame in a dramatic finish at Notre Dame Stadium.
The victory snapped a long drought for Texas A&M (3-0), which had lost 13 straight road games to ranked opponents. The Aggies’ last win in such a setting came back on Nov. 8, 2014, against then-No. 3 Auburn.
Notre Dame (0-2), last season’s national runner-up, is reeling after another one-score defeat. The Irish fell 27-24 to No. 5 Miami in their opener on Aug. 31 and now face the prospect of climbing out of a deep early-season hole.
Bond tied the game at 34 with a 45-yard field goal midway through the fourth quarter, but Notre Dame surged ahead on a 12-yard touchdown run by Jeremiyah Love with 2:53 to play. However, a botched snap on the extra point left the lead at 40-34, giving the Aggies life.
After a holding penalty wiped out Terry Bussey’s electrifying 99-yard kickoff return, A&M began its decisive drive from its own 26-yard line. Reed calmly directed the offense downfield, highlighted by a 34-yard strike to Mario Craver that advanced the Aggies into Irish territory. Despite two costly penalties inside the red zone, Texas A&M regrouped for the winning play.
Reed finished 17 of 37 for a career-best 360 yards and two touchdowns. Craver, who had an 86-yard scoring reception in the first quarter, was the Aggies’ top weapon, hauling in seven passes for a career-high 207 yards.
Notre Dame quarterback C.J. Carr went 20 of 32 for 238 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Love carried the load on the ground, rushing for 94 yards on 23 attempts, including his late go-ahead score.
Despite the Irish offense producing when needed, special teams miscues ultimately proved costly.
The game was marred by a frightening moment late in the first half when Texas A&M safety Bryce Anderson was injured making a tackle on tight end Eli Raridon. Anderson was motionless on the field for nearly 10 minutes before being carted off and transported to a hospital. The Aggies later reported that Anderson had feeling in all his limbs, and he gave a thumbs-up as he was driven away.
Tempers flared throughout the night. Players had to be separated during pregame jawing before heading into their respective tunnels, and during the contest, A&M head coach Mike Elko showed his frustration by hurling a folding chair on the sideline after a Notre Dame touchdown drive.
Texas A&M: The Aggies return home to host Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 27. Notre Dame: The Irish will try to regroup when they host Purdue next Saturday.
With the victory, Texas A&M not only kept its perfect start intact but also made a national statement, showing resilience on the road in one of college football’s most hostile environments.
