DALLAS (FWAA) – Texas A&M is the winner of the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week for Week 3 after its game-winning 11-yard touchdown pass in a thrilling 41-40 victory at No. 8 Notre Dame, as selected by the All-America Commitee of the Football Writers Association of America.
Sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed delivered under immense pressure on 4th-and-goal, threading a pass to tight end Nate Boerkircher through a collapsing Fighting Irish defense. The score capped a 13-play, 74-yard drive that elapsed just 2:40. During the drive, Reed and the A&M offense overcame back-to-back false start penalties in the final minute to keep the Aggies alive. Kicker Randy Bond’s extra point sealed the one-point win in South Bend.
The clutch catch came after Notre Dame had taken a 40-34 lead on a 12-yard touchdown run by Jeremiyah Love, only to see a botched extra point keep the margin at six. Reed’s touchdown not only flipped the scoreboard but also rewrote Aggie history, snapping a 13-game road losing streak against ranked opponents.
Reed finished the night with 360 passing yards and two touchdowns; Boerkircher’s score came on his lone catch of the night, his third grab of the season. The victory marked Texas A&M’s first road win over a Top-10 team since 2014 and gave head coach Mike Elko his first signature win away from College Station.
It also marked the second time in as many years the Aggies have earned a national “Play of the Week” honor from the FWAA. In 2024, Texas A&M punter Tyler White was recognized with the Pop-Tarts Crazy Good Play of the Week for a coffin-corner punt that helped seal a win over Missouri.
The 2025 season marks the first year the FWAA has presented the award under its new name, the Cheez-It Crunch Time Play of the Week, spotlighting the single most decisive play from the weekend’s games. Each winning team receives a custom Cheez-It care package delivered to its campus.
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ABOUT FLORIDA CITRUS SPORTS
FCS is a not-for-profit event management organization dedicated to positively impacting the Orlando region while enhancing the quality of life in Central Florida through world-class events, including the Cheez-It Citrus Bowl, the Pop-Tarts Bowl, the Florida Blue Florida Classic, the Camping World Kickoff and the FC Series. For more information, visit FloridaCitrusSports.com.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,100 men and women who cover college football. The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team. For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson at tiger@fwaa.com.