Aggies Projected Underdogs In ReliaQuest Bowl
The Texas A&M Aggies are projected to get back to a bowl game, according to The Action Network's Brett McMurphy.
McMurphy has Texas A&M making the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa, Florida, against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Jan. 1, 2024. In the hypothetical matchup, McMurphy has the Fighting Irish as 4.5-point favorites over the Aggies.
Texas A&M missed their first postseason game since 2008 last year, as it was officially selected to play in the Gator Bowl in 2021 but did not play due to COVID-19.
The Aggies haven't taken the field yet this year, but from what Notre Dame put on the field Saturday against Navy in Dublin, Ireland, it would be a dogfight to the end.
The Fighting Irish were led by transfer quarterback Sam Hartman who went 20-for-25 for 251 yards and four touchdowns in his Notre Dame debut. It also was the aggressor on the ground, beating the Midshipmen at their own game.
Notre Dame ran the ball 32 times for 191 yards and two touchdowns, but, more impressively, held Navy to 2.6 yards per carry which takes a good amount of discipline on the defensive side of the football.
© Jake Crandall / USA TODAY NETWORK
Last season, the Aggies were 3-7-2 against the spread, while the Fighting Irish are 1-0 to begin 2023 after covering their 20.5-point line in their 42-3 win.
Head-to-head all-time Notre Dame leads Texas A&M 3-2, but the Aggies claimed the last victory 24-3 in the return game of a home-and-home series in 2001.
During Texas A&M's 12-consecutive bowl game appearances, it split right down the middle 6-6 against the spread. The Aggies have covered the spread three of their last four bowl games and have won outright the last two they have been underdogs — the 2014 Liberty Bowl and 2017 Belk Bowl.
