Texas A&M edges Notre Dame 41-40 on TD pass in final seconds: Score, live updates of huge non-conference matchup between Top 25 teams

Buck Ringgold

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Texas A&M edges Notre Dame 41-40 on TD pass in final seconds: Score, live updates of huge non-conference matchup between Top 25 teams image

Sean Thomas/Imagn Images

Texas A&M aced both of its first two tests, albeit on the friendly confines of Kyle Field.

Saturday night, the Aggies just aced their first big exam.

On a fourth-and-goal from the Notre Dame 11 in the closing seconds, quarterback Marcel Reed found tight end Nate Boerkircher in the end zone for a touchdown. Then Randy Bond added the all-important PAT, giving A&M a wild 41-40 win in South Bend, Ind.

A&M - which came into the game ranked No. 16 in this week's Associated Press poll, beat a Notre Dame team that was ranked No. 8. It was the Aggies' first win against a Top 10 team since 2014.

The Aggies compiled 488 yards of total offense. Reed - who was shaken up in the second half of last week's home win against Utah State - was 17-of-37 passing for 360 yards and two TDs. The eventual game-winning TD by Boerkircher was his only catch on the night.

It completed a 13-play, 74-yard drive that came after Notre Dame took a 40-34 lead with 2:53 left. The Irish had scored a TD, but suffered a bad snap on the PAT, and a desperation pass went incomplete, which opened the door for A&M to have the chance to take the lead late.

Mario Craver was A&M's top receiver, hauling in seven passes for 207 yards and a TD. Tailback Le'Veon Moss rushed for 81 yards and scored three TDs - all coming in the first half.

A&M easily won its first two games at home, defeating UTSA and then Utah State last week. During the second half of the win against Utah State, Aggie quarterback Marcel Reed left the game with an injury, but A&M coach Mike Elko, talking to the SEC Network postgame, reiterated that Reed is "fine" and was ready to go for Saturday’s huge test.

A test that A&M was able to pass. And now, the Aggies get to celebrate more with a bye week coming up. They will be back home on Sept. 27 to take on Auburn.

Notre Dame (0-2) finished with 429 yards of total offense. Quarterback CJ Carr completed 20-of-32 passes for 293 yards and a TD. Tailback Jeremiyah Love rushed for 94 yards and a TD, and also caught four passes for 53 yards and another TD.

Follow The Sporting News correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the live updates and scoring from South Bend.

Scroll down for live score and game updates from kickoff to the postgame. Refresh this page for the latest.

TEXAS A&M 41, NOTRE DAME 40 FINAL

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POSTGAME

- Texas A&M improves to 3-0 with the win, its first win against a Top 10 team since 2014. The Aggies are off next week before playing at home against Auburn on Sept. 27. Notre Dame drops to a hard-luck 0-2.

FOURTH QUARTER

- A hook-and-lateral doesn't do it, and Texas A&M comes out of Notre Dame Stadium with a wild comeback win. 

- Incomplete pass in triple coverage. Four seconds remaining. 

- Short kick fielded by ND. Ball inside its 35 with 11 seconds left. 

- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Reed double-pumps on fourth down and throws to the end zone, and IT IS CAUGHT BY Nate Boerkircher for a TD. Now the all-important PAT. And Bond. Randy Bond. MAKES IT. (Texas A&M, 41-40 | :13, 4th) 

- Reed throws short on third down. Fourth and goal from the 11 with 19 seconds left. 

- Incomplete pass on second down. Third and goal from the 11. 

- First and goal at the 10, Reed goes around the right side and gets stopped. A&M calls its second time out with 34 seconds to go. 

- Penalty. But it's on ND. Defensive holding. Automatic first down for A&M. 

- Reed throws it out of bounds. Third-and-16 with 46 seconds left. 

- 13th penalty for A&M. Another false start. 

- Second down for A&M. But a false start penalty, the 12th on A&M. 

- Reed with a third-down scramble and gets around the right side for a first down at the ND 14. Then Daniels with a run to the 10. Under a minute left. A&M takes its first time out with 54 seconds to go. 

- Nice catch by Melin-Ohrstrom for a first down. Reed then goes to him again and he goes down to the ND 23. Reed then gets pressured and releases a pass before being hit. Third down. 

- Moss for a 4-yard gain on first down. 

- First down for A&M at the ND 36 coming out of the two-minute time out. 

- Craver with a catch over the middle and he turns on the jets before being taken out of bounds at the ND 36. Two minutes to go. Craver with seven catches for 208 yards and a TD.

- Terry Bussey takes the ensuing kickoff TO THE HOUSE. But, A&M is flagged for holding. Wow, ND just dodged one there. 

- TOUCHDOWN NOTRE DAME. Jeremiyah Love breaks off a 12-yard run to the house, completing a 12-play, 75-yard drive that took 6:13 off the clock. BUT THERE'S A BAD SNAP ON THE PAT, and a desperation pass goes awry. Door is still open for A&M to take the lead. (Notre Dame, 40-34 | 2:53, 4th) 

- Love quickly shifts into the wildcat, takes the snap and plows forward. First down for the Irish with three minutes left. Ball at the A&M 12. 

- Price is stopped short of the sticks. Fourth-and-1 for ND. Irish appear to be going for it. 

- We're getting under five minutes left, and ND faces a third down near the 20. 

- Love runs it on third down and converts. First down, ND, inside the A&M 30. 

- Fields drops a slant, setting up a third down inside the A&M 40. 

- Fields catches a wide-open pass for 20 yards and ND is in Aggie territory. 

- Third down for ND after Fields nearly makes an incredible catch near the sideline. 

- CJ Carr comes out firing on ND's next drive. First down near midfield. 

- FIELD GOAL TEXAS A&M. Bond. Randy Bond again. This time, he connects from 45 yards out. We are tied up once more. (34-34 | 9:06, 4th) 

- Third-and-11 at the ND 28, Reed going back to pass and is under pressure. Incomplete pass. 

- Under 10 minutes left, and A&M is on the march. 

- A&M penalized for the 10th time tonight, and it's another false start after just making the first down. 

- Third and long for A&M. They call a run. Moss breaks loose for a 13-yard gain and a first down. 

- False start for A&M, forces a second-and-12. 

- Reed finds Terry Bussey over the middle. A&M in ND territory at the 37. 

- Miles O'Neill comes in at QB for A&M. He's there for just one play and Marcel Reed has come back to the field. 

- Reed heads to the medical tent and they're reviewing for targeting. Targeting has been called, and a 15-yard penalty and automatic first down for A&M. 

- Marcel Reed is shaken up and on the field after a short run on second down. Injury time out. 

- FIELD GOAL NOTRE DAME. Noah Burnette sneaks in the 39-yard attempt and the Irish regain the lead. (Notre Dame, 34-31 | 14:01, 4th) 

- Third-and-long for the Irish. Carr throws toward the end zone but it sails way out of bounds. Irish will try a field goal. 

- ND first down at the A&M 20. Aggies send the house and Carr throws a ball that's nearly picked off. 

- A&M has 372 yards of total offense through three quarters. ND has 346 yards. 

THIRD QUARTER

- Long kickoff return for ND, and then CJ Carr completes a long pass. ND has the ball near the A&M 30. And Price gets near the 20 as time expires in the third. 

- FIELD GOAL TEXAS A&M. Bond. Randy Bond. Bond comes on to kick a 44-yard attempt, and though the snap is high, he's still able to drill it through. We are tied late in the third. (31-31 | :44, 3rd) 

- Reed throws to the end zone but nobody's there. Fourth down now. 

- A&M tries a reverse, but ND is ready for it, and Bussey almost gets a late hit while being knocked out of bounds. Going to be a third down near the 25. 

- KC Concepcion takes the screen on a first down and goes down to the ND 40. First down, Aggies. Then Reed to Concepcion again for another first down, inside the 30. 

- Love gets the handoff and surges forward but is stopped a yard shy of the first down. Looks like ND will go for it here on fourth-and-1. They do, and Love gets the direct snap, but he's stopped. Sanford with the initial hit. Big break for A&M. 

- ND faces a third-and-3 near midfield. 

- A&M being held to 19 yards in the second half thus far. 

- Punt is released, but A&M is flagged for illegal formation. ND will enforce the 5 yards after the play and have the ball near its 30 with 6:11 left in the quarter. 

- Third down for A&M. Reed takes the snap in the shotgun, but can't connect and the Aggies will have to punt. 

- Reed finds Terry Bussey for a first down. Then Reed goes deep again and overshoots his tight end. 

- A&M takes over at its 25 after the opening kick. 

- Price has rushed for 56 yards and Love 55 yards and the two have combined to score three TDs for Notre Dame. 

- TOUCHDOWN NOTRE DAME. Jadarian Price breaks off another scoring run, this one from 17 yards out as he finds room around the left side, breaking a tackle along the way. (Notre Dame, 31-28 | 8:17, 3rd) 

- Third down at the A&M 25 and they connect on a CJ Carr pass. First down Irish. 

- A&M releases the punt but it goes just inside midfield, and the Irish return it inside the Aggies' 30. 

- ND tips away a pass on third-and-long. A&M will punt in the shadow of its own end zone. 

- Reed had a nice play-action fake and finds Concepcion running down the field but just overshoots him. 

- Punt takes a ND bounce, and the Irish down it at the 1, where A&M will start its first second-half series. 

- Another third-and-long for ND, and Love goes on a delayed draw. Aggies are going to force a punt. 

- Nice grab by Fields on third-and-long, and ND moves the chains and has the ball near midfield. 

- A&M coach Mike Elko told NBC that safety Bryce Anderson, who was severely injured late in the first half, was taken to a local hospital for precautionary measures and reported he has feeling in all of his limbs.

- Notre Dame will receive the ball to start the second half. 

HALFTIME

- Through one half of play, A&M has 328 yards of total offense, while ND has 218 yards. Le'Veon Moss with 43 yards rushing and three TDs; Marcel Reed 9-of-16 with 258 yards passing and a TD, and Mario Craver with 6 catches for 173 yards and a TD. 

SECOND QUARTER

- A&M tries a 52-yard field goal attempt on the final play of the half, but the kick goes wide left. The Aggies, however, still have momentum and the lead at the break.

- One final play of the half with six seconds left. A&M at the ND 46. Moss on a running play and gets down for a first down. Two seconds left. 

- Back to live action, ND faces a third down but CJ Carr is sacked by Sanford. Clock is still running. Oh, they weren't ready for the snap and Love falls on the ball with five seconds left. A&M will take over in Irish territory. 

- They're loading Bryce Anderson on the stretcher and has been safely loaded. They have taken off his jersey and shoulder pads. 

- A cart is being driven to the field as both teams are kneeling. 

- A&M safety Bryce Anderson is down on the field after making a hit on the last play. Several trainers are out to take a look at him and we are in an injury time out. 

- Aggies flagged for defensive holding. ND has a first down at its 35, and then CJ Carr throws a deep pass and the Irish are getting close to field-goal range. 

- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Direct snap to Le'Veon Moss and he bulls forward for his third TD of the night and A&M takes its first lead in the game. Aggies finish off a 7-play 47-yard drive. (Texas A&M, 28-24 | 1:11, 2nd) 

- Reed appeared to find an opening to the end zone, but he gets met by a ND defender. Third-and-goal, and the Irish call their last time out of the half. 

- Moss stopped up front. ND takes its second time out of the half, with 1:19 left. 

- A&M gets another first-and-goal as ND commits a personal foul face mask penalty. Ball at the 1 with 1:27 left. 

- Le'Veon Moss with a couple of good runs, and it's first-and-goal A&M inside the 5 at the two-minute time out. 

- And Mario Craver comes up with another big catch. He now has 173 yards. A&M inside the ND 20. 

- INTERCEPTION TEXAS A&M. Scooby Williams is there to grab a tipped pass just inside ND territory. Aggies have a chance to do something before half. 

- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Le'Veon Moss with the nice effort and finishes off a 9-play, 75-yard drive with a hard-fought 2-yard run. Aggies back within three. (Notre Dame, 24-21 | 5:32, 2nd) 

- Reed with a pinpoint pass to Owens, and A&M is inside the 5. 

- And Craver makes another huge catch in traffic on third-and-long. A&M has a first down in ND territory. 

- Mario Craver with 121 yards on just four catches so far for A&M, and keeps the chains moving with his latest grab. 

- TOUCHDOWN NOTRE DAME. A one-handed grab by a wide open Jeremiyah Love as A&M blows its coverage, and Love gets it in from 36 yards out. (Notre Dame, 24-14 | 9:43, 2nd) 

- ND faces a third-and-1 at its 34, and Love takes a handoff and goes close to midfield. 

- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Le'Veon Moss follows the blocks on the right side of the line to plunge in from a yard out, finishing off a 5-play, 75-yard drive. Aggies get within three. (Notre Dame, 17-14 | 12:23, 2nd) 

- KC Concepcion with a couple of huge catches, the latter giving A&M a first-and-goal at the 1. 

- Mario Craver with a catch and a spin move, and the Aggies get a first down. 

- Touchback, and A&M will start at its 25. 

- FIELD GOAL NOTRE DAME. Irish connect from 22 yards out and ND is now up by 10. (Notre Dame, 17-7 | 14:54, 2nd) 

- Will Lee with the coverage on third down, knocking away a pass at the end zone, and the Irish will try a field goal. 

- Third-and-goal for ND at the A&M 4 to start the second quarter.

FIRST QUARTER

- Irish will face a third-and-goal as the first quarter comes to an end. Love gets his helmet taken off on the last play. 

- Love takes a direct snap and plows forward for a first-and-goal.

- ND catches a third-down slant but is a yard shy of the first down. 

- Play clock running down with ND facing a third-and-7. Irish call a time out with 2:27 left in the quarter. 

- Jadarian Price with another long run on a draw play on third-and-long. Irish knocking on the door inside the A&M 20. 

- INTERCEPTION NOTRE DAME. And Leonard Moore picks off a pass near the A&M 40. Irish in great position to break this game open less than 10 minutes into the contest. 

- The clip in question of Elko's chair throw.

- A&M coach Mike Elko - a former defensive coordinator at ND - very displeased with his defensive unit and lights into them during the time out, throwing a chair in the process. Maybe the first coach to throw a chair in the state of Indiana since Bobby Knight's infamous chair toss 40 years ago. 

- TOUCHDOWN NOTRE DAME. Jadarian Price takes a draw on second-and-goal and dashes in from 7 yards out, finishing off a 7-play, 75-yard drive. (Notre Dame, 14-7 | 6:30, 1st) 

- And the Irish execute a perfect flea-flicker play for a 47-yard gain down to the Aggies' 5.

- Huge mistake by A&M's Ricks after shoving Love out of bounds. Instead of third-and-long, the Irish get an automatic first down. 

- Notre Dame moves the chains and has a first down near its 40. 

- TOUCHDOWN TEXAS A&M. Mario Craver catches a short pass on the run, breaks a tackle is is NOW LOOSE down the sideline, completing an 86-yard catch-and-run. PAT ties things up. (7-7 | 9:33, 1st) 

- KC Concepcion calls for a fair catch and A&M will start its third series at its own 10.

- Third-and-1 and ND gives it to Love again but he is swarmed, with Scooby Williams making the first contact. Irish will have to punt it away. 

- Jeremiyah Love breaks off a couple of big gainers and Notre Dame has the ball at midfield on its first offensive series. 

- Not a great start for A&M. Aggies flagged for a false start before taking their first snap of their second drive, and the Aggies don't do too much. They'll have to punt again, but hoping to get off a punt this time.

- TOUCHDOWN NOTRE DAME. Irish break through to block a punt, with Logan Thomas breaking through and he scoops it up and runs it back 24 yards to the house.  PAT is good. (Notre Dame, 7-0 | 13:06, 1st) 

- A holding penalty backs the Aggies up, and Reed throws a couple of incompletions and then a short pass to get back near the original line of scrimmage, setting up a punt. 

- Nice first play call, a run off tackle from Le'Veon Moss for a first down. 

- We start with a touchback. Marcel Reed leading the offense out onto the field. 

- Notre Dame won the toss and has deferred. A&M to get the ball to start things off. 

PREGAME

- And they're playin' the feud up in South Bend. Pregame scuffle between the teams.

- KC Concepcion has looked great in A&M's first two games. Can he do it again on a Saturday night in front of a nationally televised audience in one of the sport's great venues?

- And yes, Marcel Reed appears to be good to go for tonight's showdown.

- Live from Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, it’s a huge Saturday night prime time game as Texas A&M gets set to take on the Fighting Irish.

Texas A&M 2025 Schedule

Aug. 30 UTSA W 42-24

Sept. 6 Utah State W 44-22

Sept. 13 at Notre Dame

Sept. 27 Auburn

Oct. 4 Mississippi State

Oct. 11 Florida

Oct. 18 at Arkansas

Oct. 25 at LSU

Nov. 8 at Missouri

Nov. 15 South Carolina

Nov. 22 Samford

Nov. 28 at Texas

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Buck Ringgold

Buck Ringgold has been covering high school sports for more than 25 years. He has a BA in Journalism from the University of Arkansas and is a die-hard Texas Rangers fan.