5 Key Takeaways from Notre Dame's 23-13 Win Over Texas AM

It might have been a defensive battle, but Notre Dame and Texas A&M played an intense thriller with lots of big hits, lots of defense, and lots of drama in a terrific game that came down to the final minutes.

Here are our 5 Key Takeaways on the huge early win for the Irish.

Notre Dame 23, Texas A&M 13

- Week 1 Scoreboard, Predictions

5. That’s Marcus Freeman’s moment

Brian Kelly continues to be a whale of a head coach. You don’t win as many games at Notre Dame like he did without doing a lot of things right, but this is different now under Marcus Freeman.

It was time for a change when Freeman took over just over two seasons ago, but everyone new it would take a little bit for a new coach to get past a few rough spots.

But Freeman had the personality and style that created a breath of fresh air, it’s working with the recruits - despite what many of the recruitniks might be saying - and now he’s up to speed with the production on the field.

It’s just one game against a Texas A&M that’s good, but not Georgia or Ohio State, but College Station has been where elite teams go to die over the last several years, and Freeman had his Irish team ready.

He went for it in this, he didn’t coach scared, and he had his team playing with the confidence and toughness to pull this off.

There’s still a LOT of work to be done, but in his third year he’s putting his stamp on the program with this one gigantic moment.

4. Both quarterbacks will be a whole lot better as the year goes on

Both quarterbacks struggled, but Conner Weigman and Riley Leonard will be starting in the NFL in the near future. Neither one looked the part, but that’s because of the defenses came up with elite performances.

The difference? Leonard can run and Weigman isn’t as dangerous on the ground. Leonard ran for 63 yards, Weigman did what he could with 26 yards. Leonard didn’t throw any picks. Weigman gave up two.

3. Notre Dame’s defense is just that good, so …

Wait and see what the Texas A&M offense does going forward.

This is an elite Irish defensive front that was swarming all over the Aggie ground game allowing just 3.8 yards per carry, but the A&M offensive line did an okay job considering the bangs and bruises throughout.

But the Aggie offense only moved the ball well when there were Irish penalties, there were just 246 yards of total O, and … there will be better days. It was still a fight into the final moments, and …

2. Texas A&M is still okay

This stings, and it would’ve made life a whole lot easier if Texas A&M was able to pull this off, but there’s still plenty of hope. And why?

No Alabama, no Georgia, no Oklahoma, Ole Miss, or Tennessee. The Aggies get Missouri and LSU at home, and the road games - including the SEC opener at Florida - are all more than manageable. It’ll be a slight shock if they aren’t favored in each of the next ten games.

There’s still a margin for error here. A&M can actually lose once more, and if it takes out Texas in the regular season finale to go 10-2 it’ll almost certainly be in the College Football Playoff.

Even crazier, Notre Dame might just be that good, A&M could run the table before the date with the Longhorns, and everything will be fine.

Speaking of favorable schedules …

1. Notre Dame has no excuse to not be the 5 seed

Now it’s time to dream. On the last day of August, Notre Dame might have sealed a College Football Playoff spot.

Northern Illinois, at Purdue, Miami University, Louisville, Stanford, at Georgia Tech, Navy, Florida State, Virginia, Army, at USC.

Barring a total whiff, there will be one loss somewhere in the mix on the wrong day, but it’ll take something wild for there to be three.

Don’t let anyone else throw you off the trail. A 10-2 Notre Dame will get in, and 11-1 would be a mortal lock for the CFP 5 seed - remember, it can’t be a top four seed because of no conference championship.