Miami's Cam Ward Shines in Debut, Leads No. 19 Hurricanes Past Florida
In COLLEGE STATION, Texas, the No. 7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish spoiled the debut of Texas A&M's new head coach, Mike Elko, with a hard-fought 23-13 victory over the No. 20 Aggies on Saturday night. The game, which took place in front of a massive crowd of 107,315 fans at Kyle Field, was marked by a strong second-half performance from Notre Dame, solidifying their place as a top contender this season.
This win was particularly significant for Notre Dame, as it marked their first road victory against a ranked SEC opponent in the AP poll since 2004. The game was a true test of patience and resilience for the Irish, who didn’t take the lead until late in the third quarter. Jadarian Price's electrifying 47-yard touchdown run down the left sideline finally put Notre Dame ahead with just 6:50 remaining in the third quarter.
Notre Dame's head coach, Marcus Freeman, was elated with the win, praising his team for their effort against a tough opponent. "Man, that was a huge victory for our program over a really, really good football team," Freeman said. "That is an impressive football team... It wasn't pretty. The defense played lights out, [forced] turnovers."
The game also marked the debut of Notre Dame's new quarterback, Riley Leonard, who had previously played at Duke for three years. Leonard, who had started and served as a team captain for two seasons under Elko at Duke before both moved on after the 2023 season, finished the game completing 18 of 30 passes for 158 yards. He also rushed for an additional 63 yards, showcasing his dual-threat capabilities against a formidable A&M defensive line that Freeman acknowledged as probably the best the Irish would face all season. Freeman commended Leonard and the offense for their patience, noting that they avoided making any critical mistakes in a challenging environment.
Leonard himself reflected on the difficulty of playing in such an intense atmosphere. "It's tough, especially in that environment," Leonard said. "That's an environment that I'm sure none of us have really ever played in before. The SEC is different. Coming down here in Texas is different. I remember looking up and trying to see the end of the stands and you literally just can't even see the top. Incredible place to play. Very grateful for the outcome, obviously."
He also mentioned recognizing some of his former coach's tactics, particularly on third downs, where Notre Dame struggled, converting just 2 of 12 attempts. "I feel like there was a game within the game when playing him," Leonard said. "Obviously, the third-down packages are always big and he got me a few times with the protections. He drew up some really good stuff... It's funny because we're playing Notre Dame versus A&M, but there's obviously a rivalry there, so to speak, with me and Coach. It's all love at the end of the day, but we're both very competitive."
For Mike Elko, the experience of facing his former quarterback was bittersweet. "It wasn't fun," Elko admitted. "I knew it wouldn't be. He made a bunch of big-time plays... He did what he did and made enough plays to win the football game. I told him I loved him after the game. I will be rooting for that kid for the rest of his life."
Notre Dame's defense was the true star of the night, consistently stifling the Aggies' offense and holding them to just 246 total yards. They effectively shut down Texas A&M's starting quarterback, Conner Weigman, who struggled throughout the game. Weigman completed only 12 of 30 pass attempts for 100 yards and threw two interceptions. His struggles were particularly evident on deeper passes, where he completed just 5 of 16 attempts for 61 yards on throws of five or more yards downfield. The Aggies' 13 points marked their lowest output in a season opener since 2000, coincidentally also against Notre Dame.
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