By the Numbers: Notre Dame Stumbles to 0–2 After 41-40 Loss to Texas A&M

Notre Dame’s home opener was supposed to steady the season after a frustrating trip to Miami. Instead, the Irish defense was shredded under the lights in South Bend as No. 16 Texas A&M rolled to a 41–40 win. While CJ Carr and Jeremiyah Love flashed playmaking ability, the numbers once again expose a defense that looks nothing like the unit Irish fans have grown accustomed to.

Quick Hits

• Final: Texas A&M 41, Notre Dame 40 (ND 0–2; A&M 3–0).
• 77,622: Attendance, marking the 14th straight sellout under Marcus Freeman.
• 4–3: Notre Dame’s all-time series record vs. Texas A&M.
• 293: Passing yards for CJ Carr, a career high.
• 29: Straight games with a catch for WR Malachi Fields.
• 63: Yards by RB Jeremiyah Love on one second-quarter scoring drive.

Big Picture Numbers

This was the 14th consecutive sellout at Notre Dame Stadium, with 77,622 fans filling the house. It also marked Freeman’s 19th sellout in 21 home games coached. But history wasn’t kind to the Irish:

• The loss drops Notre Dame to 4–3 all-time vs. Texas A&M and an even 1–1 against the Aggies in South Bend.
• Against the SEC, Notre Dame is now 50–28 overall, including 19–11 at home.
• The Irish also fell to 530–131–13 all-time in Notre Dame Stadium.
• Notre Dame’s proud home-opener record slipped as well: 110–21–4 all-time in openers, including 76–18–2 in Notre Dame Stadium.

Stats That Tell the Story

The scoreboard says plenty, but the deeper defensive stats are even more damning:

• 41 points allowed — Most by a visiting team in a Notre Dame home opener since the Charlie Weis era when Michigan State scored 44 in 2005.
• 488 total yards surrendered — The Aggies moved the ball at will, combining explosive plays with long, clock-eating drives.
• 360 passing yards allowed — Texas A&M’s quarterback consistently exploited mismatches against Irish corners and safeties.
• Multiple receivers over 80 yards — A&M’s wideouts gashed Notre Dame downfield, turning routine completions into chain-moving chunk plays, including 207 from Mario Craver.
• 4 touchdowns of 20+ yards — Notre Dame’s defense repeatedly broke down in space, giving up quick strikes that swung momentum.
• No sacks, minimal pressure — The Irish defensive line never found traction, leaving the quarterback clean and the secondary exposed.
• 28 first-half points allowed — Notre Dame’s defense allowed more points in the first half than they averaged allowing for an entire game in 2024.

Milestones & Streaks

• Malachi Fields caught a pass for the 29th consecutive game, one of the longest active streaks in the FBS.
• Jordan Botelho appeared in his 52nd career game, tying Daelin Hayes, Romeo Okwara, and Drue Tranquill for 13th in program history.
• Jeremiyah Love started his 19th consecutive game, matching Darius Walker (2004–06) for fifth-longest by a Notre Dame running back.

Firsts

• Karson Hobbs earned his first career start at cornerback in a high-pressure moment.
• Freshman safety Tae Johnson returned a blocked punt 20 yards for his first career touchdown, giving the Irish an early spark and marking the program’s 11th blocked-punt TD since 2020.

Career Highs & Breakouts

• CJ Carr posted a career-high 293 passing yards in his first career home start — the most in a home-start debut since Terry Hanratty in 1966.
• Jeremiyah Love accounted for 63 of 75 yards on a second-quarter scoring drive, capped with a 36-yard touchdown reception.

The Bottom Line

The offense showed signs of life, with Carr making history in his home debut and Love carrying the attack for stretches. Special teams chipped in with a touchdown. But Notre Dame’s defense — once the program’s calling card — is now a liability. Two games in, the Irish have given up 68 points and more than 800 yards. Unless Chris Ash finds answers fast, Notre Dame’s season will be defined not by Carr’s potential or Love’s consistency, but by a defense that can’t get off the field.