Notre Dame vs Texas A&M Odds & Picks Week 1: The Best Underdog Pick Of The Week

Road underdogs? Rude. For me, this may be the brightest spot for an upset in Week 1 as No. 7 Notre Dame (+124) rolls into College Station to visit No. 20 Texas A&M. The 12-team CFP format is a gift for the Irish, who have very few threats on their schedule -- except for this one. 

Each side is showcasing two new quarterbacks as Conner Weigman upgraded to the Aggies starter and Duke transfer, Riley Leonard, hopes to stay healthy for the Irish. But, the defensive discrepancy is what earns Notre Dame my moneyline vote in Week 1.

notre dame vs Texas A&M Odds

Matchup Page: Notre Dame vs Texas A&M, 7:30 pm ET

Odds as of August 27

notre dame vs texas A&M Picks – Week 1

Notre Dame's wide receiver room is bland and without Audric Estime, there's nobody carrying the weight in the running back department either. Leonard's injury history, undergoing two ankle surgeries, is cause for concern. A healthy season in 2022 solidified his dual-threat reputation, complimenting 2,800 passing yards and 20 touchdowns with 636 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. I'll still take Leonard's resume at Duke over Weigman, who has loads of pressure to prove himself.

But, like I said, the difference in defense is what sold me. The Aggies were a puddle of inconsistency, letting Miami hang 48 points on them in Week 2 and then giving up just 26 points to the offensively talented Tide a few weeks later. Not to mention, Texas A&M's nerves took over as it dropped all five meetings against ranked opponents last year.

This is one of the only must-wins for Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame, who have won six of its last seven season openers on the road. It's worth a stab to back Leonard and the Irish at plus-money.

Notre Dame vs Texas A&M Week 1 Pick: Notre Dame ML (+124)

Notre dame vs texas a&m prop Pick: riley leonard UNDER 1.5 Passing Touchdowns (-160)

The Irish lost two of their top three receivers from last season, with TE Mitchell Evans (422 YDS, 1 TD) being the only one to stray away from the transfer portal. But, it's not like Notre Dame's receiving room was stacked to begin with as not a single name eclipsed the 500-yard mark.

Leonard's options may be slim. But, if it comes down to it, the senior will and has the mobility to run the pigskin into the endzone himself. Plus, there's no better chance to show the nation (& NFL scouts) that his ankle injury doesn't affect him.  

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