Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
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BLUEGOLDONLINE.COM SEPT. 7, 2024 25 0 Sacks allowed by Notre Dame's offensive line against Texas A&M. The Ag- gies led the SEC in sacks (42) and ranked second in tackles for loss (99) last year, and were ranked eighth nationally in both categories. It wasn't a perfect performance, but it's a win considering the Irish's starting unit entered the game with six career starts (three each by junior center Ashton Craig and junior right guard Billy Schrauth). The Notre Dame media guide has game-by-game starters for every season dating back to 1982. The Irish had at least one senior start along the offensive line in all 42 season openers from 1982 to 2023 — a streak that was snapped in this year's contest at Texas A&M, when three juniors, a sophomore and a true freshman comprised the Irish's starting offensive line. 1st Win on the road against an Associated Press-ranked Southeastern Conference team for Notre Dame in 20 years. Prior to their 23-13 victory at No. 20 Texas A&M, the last time the Irish achieved that feat was a 17-13 win at No. 9 Tennessee on Nov. 6, 2004. 3 Notre Dame true freshman offensive linemen have now made their first career start in their first career collegiate game, all on the road: Sam Young at Georgia Tech in 2006, Blake Fisher at Florida State in 2021 and Anthonie Knapp at Texas A&M in 2024. 4 Straight seasons Notre Dame has started with a game away from the friendly confines of Notre Dame Stadium: 2021 at Florida State, 2022 at Ohio State, 2023 vs. Navy at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland, and 2024 at Texas A&M. It is the first time in program history that the Irish have started four straight seasons away from Notre Dame Stadium. 4-2 Advantage for Notre Dame in its six-game series with Texas A&M. The Irish are 1-0 in South Bend, 1-1 at Kyle Field and 2-1 at neutral sites (all three were at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas in 1987, 1992 and 1993). 7 Wins in their last eight season openers for the Fighting Irish. The only defeat in the last eight years was the 21-10 setback at Ohio State in 2022. 13 Points scored by Texas A&M were its fewest in a season opener since its 24-10 loss to Notre Dame in South Bend on Sept. 2, 2000, per ESPN. 15-3-1 Record for Notre Dame in season openers in which both teams are ranked, including a 5-2-1 mark when playing as the visitor. The Irish have a 111-18-5 record (.847 winning percentage) in all of their season openers. Prior to its loss to Notre Dame, Texas A&M was 17-2 in season openers at home since 2000. 17-20 All-time record for Notre Dame with ESPN's College GameDay appearing at their game location. The last two such wins have come on the road — at Texas A&M to start the 2024 campaign and at Duke on Sept. 30, 2023. 99 Yards on 11 penalties — three of which resulted in first downs for the Aggies — for the Fighting Irish against Texas A&M. That is more penalty yards they had in any game last year, with 82 at North Carolina State being their season high in 2023. Notre Dame's high for penalties in 2023 was 12 (for 70 yards) at Duke. 107,314 Was the announced attendance — the fourth-largest crowd in Kyle Field history. The Irish's victory over the Aggies marked their first in front of a crowd of 100,000-plus fans since a 17-10 triumph at Michigan on Sept. 10, 2005. BY THE NUMBERS BY STEVE DOWNEY 198 Rushing yards for Notre Dame against a Texas A&M defense that led the SEC and ranked 14th in the country, giving up just 108.8 yards per game on the ground in 2023. The Aggies also ranked fifth nationally in rushing touchdowns allowed (9), but surrendered 2 — 47 yards by junior running back JADARIAN PRICE and 21 yards by sophomore running back Jeremiyah Love — to the Irish. PHOTO BY CHAD WEAVER