Nate Boerkircher caught a go-ahead 11-yard touchdown pass with 13 seconds to go, and No. 16 Texas A&M held on for a 41-40 win over No. 8 Notre Dame in a Saturday night thriller in South Bend, Ind.
Marcel Reed completed 17 of 37 passes for 360 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for Texas A&M (3-0). Le’Veon Moss rushed for three touchdowns for the Aggies, who knocked off a ranked opponent on the road for the first time since 2014, ending a 13-game skid.
CJ Carr completed 20 of 32 passes for 293 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Notre Dame (0-2). Jadarian Price (68 rushing yards) ran for two touchdowns and Jeremiyah Love (94 rushing yards, 53 receiving yards) notched one rushing touchdown and one receiving touchdown.
The score was tied at 34-all when Love burst across the goal line for a 12-yard rushing score with 2:53 to go. The Fighting Irish lined up for an extra-point attempt but holder Tyler Buchner fumbled the snap and threw an errant pass to keep the score at 40-34.
That left the door open for Texas A&M to put together a game-winning drive.
Reed delivered as he led a 13-play, 74-yard scoring drive to seal the comeback victory. The Aggies faced an all-or-nothing, fourth-and-goal play from the Notre Dame 11-yard line with 19 seconds remaining, and Reed made it count as he spotted Boerkircher in one-on-one coverage along the left side of the end zone and fired the touchdown pass.
The game included a scary moment when Texas A&M safety Bryce Anderson sustained a head injury while making a tackle. Anderson remained still on the field as medical staff attended to him, and the entire Aggies team surrounded him as he was treated.
Anderson was placed on a backboard and carted off the field. He offered a thumbs-up toward the crowd, which clapped for him as he was carted away. Anderson had feeling in his limbs after being transported to a local hospital.
Notre Dame safety Adon Shuler was called for targeting and ejected from the game early in the fourth quarter. Shuler drew the penalty after officials determined that he led with his helmet on a hit against Reed, who missed one play before returning to the field.
