SOUTH BEND — Notre Dame football opens its 2024 season Saturday night at No. 20 Texas A&M in College Station. Kickoff is scheduled 7:30 p.m. EDT.



It's a challenging situation for the seventh-ranked Irish to start in front of 105,000 Aggies fans at Kyle Field. It's also the perfect barometer for a team with College Football Playoff aspirations in search of its first national championship since 1988.



The storylines are abundant. New graduate transfer quarterback Riley Leonard makes his first ND start in new offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock's first game in front of a new offensive line with a combined six collegiate starts between them.



Lenorard will also go against new defensive-minded Aggies coach Mike Elko who was his head coach last season at Duke. Oh yeah ... it will be hot, to.



So what does that all mean?



South Bend Tribune Notre Dame football beat writers Tom Noie and Mike Berardino, along with WNDU sports director Jackson Neill, break it all down on this week's Pod of Gold Notre Dame football podcast before setting off for East Texas.



Special guest this week in Aggies beat writer Alex Miller of the Bryan-College Station Eagle. This week's show was recorded in the studios of news gathering partner WNDU.

SOUTH BEND — <a href="https://www.ndinsider.com/story/sports/football/2024/08/26/notre-dame-football-2024-season-preview-profiles-position-breakdowns-depth-chart-roster-guide/74950528007/" data-type="link" data-id="https://www.ndinsider.com/story/sports/football/2024/08/26/notre-dame-football-2024-season-preview-profiles-position-breakdowns-depth-chart-roster-guide/74950528007/">Notre Dame football opens its 2024 season Saturday night</a> at No. 20 Texas A&amp;M in College Station. Kickoff is scheduled 7:30 p.m. EDT.
 
It's a challenging situation for the seventh-ranked Irish to start in front of 105,000 Aggies fans at Kyle Field. It's also the perfect barometer for a team with College Football Playoff aspirations in search of its first national championship since 1988.
 
The storylines are abundant. New graduate transfer quarterback Riley Leonard makes his first ND start in new offensive Coordinator Mike Denbrock's first game in front of a new offensive line with a combined six collegiate starts between them.
 
Lenorard will also go against new defensive-minded Aggies coach Mike Elko who was his head coach last season at Duke. Oh yeah ... it will be hot, to.
 
So what does that all mean?
 
South Bend Tribune Notre Dame football beat writers <a href="https://x.com/tnoieNDI" data-type="link" data-id="https://x.com/tnoieNDI">Tom Noie</a> and <a href="https://x.com/MikeBerardino" data-type="link" data-id="https://x.com/MikeBerardino">Mike Berardino</a>, along with WNDU sports director Jackson Neill, break it all down on this week's Pod of Gold Notre Dame football podcast before setting off for East Texas.
 
Special guest this week in <a href="https://x.com/AlexMill20" data-type="link" data-id="https://x.com/AlexMill20">Aggies beat writer Alex Miller</a> of the Bryan-College Station Eagle. This week's show was recorded in the studios of news gathering partner WNDU.

NDInsider.com's "Pod of Gold" podcast is powered by The South Bend Tribune and recorded at the studios of WNDU-TV, South Bend Indiana's NBC affiliate. Notre Dame football beat writers Mike Berardino, Tom Noie and Austin Hough talk Irish sports, pop culture and the latest athletic news swirling around the Golden Dome with special guests. 

NDInsider.com's "Pod of Gold" podcast is powered by The South Bend Tribune and recorded at the studios of WNDU-TV, South Bend Indiana's NBC affiliate. Notre Dame football beat writers Mike Berardino, Tom Noie and Austin Hough talk Irish sports, pop culture and the latest athletic news swirling around the Golden Dome with special guests.

Pod of Gold: Notre Dame Football

Notre Dame Insider's Tyler James and Eric Hansen offer their takes on Notre Dame football, discuss the latest news and bring on guests with expert knowledge.

South Bend Tribune ND beat writer Mike Berardino and columnist Tom Noie tee up Notre Dame football's 2024 season opener at Texas A&M