Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame best bet: Odds, picks, and predictions for Week 3 clash in South Bend

There are a couple of blue-blood programs in must-win situations in Week 3, but the stakes may be the highest for Notre Dame.

Sitting at 0-1 after a tough loss to No. 5 Miami in Week 1, the Fighting Irish host No. 16 Texas A&M (2-0) on Saturday night.

It may seem hyperbolic to call this a must-win game for Marcus Freeman’s Irish, but this is one of the last chances they’ll have to strut their stuff against a heavyweight program this season.

Notre Dame has games against USC, Arkansas, and Boise State left on the calendar, but wins over those teams wouldn’t carry the same amount of weight as a victory on Saturday night would.

A loss could eliminate the Irish from the College Football Playoff.

Texas A&M vs. Notre Dame odds, prediction

The pressure will be on Notre Dame to get a win at home, but this is also a massive chance for the Aggies to establish themselves as a contender for a spot in the College Football Playoff.

Although they are undefeated, the Aggies have been a bit of a mixed bag in 2025. They’ve scored 86 points against UTSA and Utah State, but they’ve been on the receiving end of some criticism for conceding 46 points in those two contests.

That said, a good chunk of those points came in garbage time, so you can excuse the Aggies for taking the foot off the pedal, especially last week when they knew that a trip to South Bend awaited.

Additionally, it seems like the offense should make life pretty easy for the defense. Quarterback Marcel Reed and running back LeVeon Moss have explosive potential, and should give a vaunted Irish defense plenty to think about.

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Notre Dame’s offense is more of a guessing game. There was some good and bad from CJ Carr in his collegiate debut against Miami, but the bread-and-butter for this team will be on the ground with Jeremiyah Love.

If the Irish get Love going, they could control this contest from start to finish. But if they have to put the ball in Carr’s hands, it’s anybody’s guess.

This is a fascinating game to handicap because Notre Dame may have the edge in several areas, but the advantage at quarterback goes to the Aggies.

That pushes me to backing Texas A&M as a 6.5-point ‘dog on Saturday.

The Play: Texas A&M +6.5 (FanDuel)

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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.