Notre Dame named in two Top 10 non-conference best matchups for 2025
Notre Dame named in two Top 10 non-conference best matchups for 2025
The 2025 college football season is inching closer and closer, and there are a slew of juicy non-conference matchups on tap.
One of those clashes includes Notre Dame hosting Texas A&M, the back end of a home-and-home series that began last year. It's clearly a notable matchup, and ESPN analyst Greg McElroy named it No. 5 on his Top 10 list of non-conference games this fall.
"Coach Mike Elko enters into the second year," McElroy said on his Always College Football podcast. "They get everybody back on the offensive line. The offense in general should be excellent. And their quarterback Marcel Reed should be a lot more advanced than he was last year. He didn't even play against Notre Dame in Week 1. So, now, that should be an incredible matchup when the Aggies head to South Bend there in the middle of September."
Last season, Marcus Freeman's squad scored a 23-13 win in College Station, a game that featured the Irish leaning on their rushing attack. They compiled 198 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, with Jeremiyah Love leading the way with 91 yards and a score. Meanwhile, the Aggies had just 100 passing yards in the loss, though adding playmakers at receiver was a priority this offseason. So this should be a different Aggies offense in the rematch.
The Irish have the fourth-best nonconference game, as well, according to McElroy. ND opens the season at Miami, a team McElroy is high on. Mario Cristobal has the Hurricanes set up to contend for the ACC title with the likes of Clemson.
"Miami has restocked and reloaded," McElroy said. "Carson Beck is now their starting quarterback. They have great personnel on both lines of scrimmage. Mario Cristobal has a legitimate ACC title contender again this year. At least one of the top two teams in the ACC."
The new season can't get here soon enough.
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