No. 16 Texas A&M beats No. 8 Notre Dame 41-40 on late TD strike

Texas A&M (3-0) beat a Top 25 team on the road for the first time since knocking off then-No. 3 Auburn on Nov. 8, 2014. The Aggies had lost 13 straight road games to ranked opponents.

“I don’t know that anything went to script in terms of how you want to go about winning a game on the road,” said Texas A&M coach Mike Elko, a former Notre Dame assistant coach. “We just kept fighting, kept battling, kept scrapping. Ultimately, we made one more play than they did.”

Notre Dame dropped to 0-2 after playing in the national title game last season. The Irish opened with a 24-27 loss at No. 5 Miami on Aug. 31.

“You’ve got to go to work and practice and get better,” coach Marcus Freeman said. “We’re 0-2. So what do you control? You control getting better and getting ready for the next one. I can’t sit here and dwell on being 0-2 as much as I need to dwell on how do we find ways to improve.”

Bond made a 45-yard field goal to tie it at 34 with 9:06 left.

Notre Dame pushed ahead 40-34 with 2:53 to go on Jeremiyah Love's 12-yard run. A botched snap on the extra point kept the lead at six.

Texas A&M started at its 26 on the winning drive after a 99-yard kickoff return by Terry Bussey was negated by a holding penalty, but quickly reached Notre Dame territory. Mario Craver, who had an 86-yard TD reception in the first quarter, gained 34 yards on a pass from Reed to the 37.

Texas A&M reached the Notre Dame 10 and survived back-to-back penalties before the winning score.

Reed was 17 of 37 for a career-high 360 yards and two touchdowns. Carver caught seven passes for a career-high 207 yards.

Love gained 94 yards on 23 carries, and quarterback C.J. Carr was 20 of 32 with a touchdown and an interception.

Injury delay

Texas A&M safety Bryce Anderson was carted off the field and taken to a hospital after sustaining an injury with 58 seconds left in the first half.

Anderson gave a thumps-up sign as he was driven off the field and Texas A&M said he had all feeling in all his limbs.

“I think, at this point, all signs are positive,” Elko said. “I don’t think we’ve done every diagnostic testing, but so far, every test we’ve run through has come back positive. So, we’ll continue to pray that comes to a positive resolution.”

Anderson was injured making a tackle on tight end Eli Raridon, with fellow Aggies defensive back Will Lee III making contact with Anderson and Raridon.

Anderson was motionless on the field for about 10 minutes as medical staff attended to him.

Emotional battle

Emotions flared several times during the game, and before it.

The Fighting Irish and Aggies players go up close for pre-game jawing and the two teams had to be separated before the ran to their respective tunnels.

During the game, an incensed Elko threw a folding chair on the sideline while he was talking to his defense after a Notre Dame touchdown.

The takeaway

Notre Dame: The dream of a return to the College Football Playoff is in serious jeopardy.

Texas A&M: The Aggies unleashed a prolific passing attack after only managing 100 yards against Notre Dame in a 23-13 loss last season.

Up next

Texas A&M: Hosts Auburn on Saturday, Sept. 27.'

Notre Dame: Hosts Purdue next Saturday.

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