ESPN’s College GameDay will be kicking off the 2024 college football season in College Station, paying a visit to the 12th man for Texas A&M‘s season opener against Notre Dame in Week 1.
The Fighting Irish and Aggies will be occupying college football’s biggest stage to start one of the sport’s most highly anticipated seasons to date. Which led to college football analyst Greg McElroy being asked who he feels is more desperate for a Week 1 win.
“I don’t even think it’s close, I think by a mile it’s Notre Dame,” McElroy said on Always College Football. “I think you look at Notre Dame this is the year, this the year that Marcus Freeman has circled.”
“You bring in a highly touted prospect at quarterback, you have a new offensive coordinator in Mike Denbrock. You finally talked all offseason about the improved play at the wide receiver spot, I think the defense has a chance to be one of the best in the country. I think the secondary is arguably the best in the country, the linebackers shouldn’t miss a beat, they have two of the best defensive tackles in the country as well. So if you look just at what they have back and I think everything is lined up for Notre Dame this year to make a run.”
There’s no doubt that expectations are high for Fighting Irish head coach Marcus Freeman, who enters his third full season at the helm with likely his most talented roster and coaching staff to date. Especially compared to Texas A&M head coach Mike Elko ahead of his first season at the helm for the Aggies. Who McElroy has high hopes for, but not necessarily high expectations at large this upcoming season.
“I don’t think Mike Elko right now is expected to do a whole lot in year one. Now, I happen to think they’re a very dangerous team this year. Now not picking them to make the playoff, not picking them to challenge for the SEC Championship. But I would be shocked if A&M didn’t knock off a contender this year, I really would,” McElroy said. “I think they’re going to beat someone that you don’t expect them to beat, that’s what you can expect from Mike Elko. His teams punched up at Duke and I think they’ll punch up at Texas A&M as well.”
Notre Dame does enter the season with College Football Playoff hopes and expectations, likely starting off the season as a top 12 ranked team ahead of the first season of the expanded 12-team playoff. And for teams that plan on playing through December and January, every game matters. Including Week 1 for the Fighting Irish given Freeman’s track record according to McElroy.
“I think this is a must win for Marcus Freeman,” McElroy said. “I think back to all the negativity surrounding the program a couple years ago when he took over. Lost the bowl game in his first game as the head coach, lost the first two games including a game against Marshall. There’s a lot of negativity at that point I think could boil over and the event which they don’t win on the road at A&M against a team that doesn’t have significant expectations. So the pressure without question is on the Irish and on Marcus Freeman in particular.”
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