This was not the home opening Texas A&M fans were hoping for when they filed into Kyle Field on Saturday night. Even though they gave the No. 7 team in the nation a run for their money, it was by no means a pretty game.

The defense held its own but managed zero sacks against an offensive line with only six combined starts. Then, as the game went on, the run defense started to leak, and Notre Dame was able to take advantage, popping off big runs. That allowed them to work in the passing game that did just enough to move the chains when needed.

Offensively, it looked like a team that wasn't in sync all night long against a top defensive unit in the country. They averaged over four yards a play in the air or the ground, making it tough sledding all night long. While the skill players had issues, the offensive line looks to have taken steps in the right direction.

Taking on this caliber of a team while implementing a new system and staff was a tall task to ask, but with all the hype trickling out the fans probably expected a little more out of the team overall.

Stock Down - Conner Weigman

Conner Weigman had one of, if not the worst, games in his college football career. He never really seemed to get comfortable and rarely came off his first read.

Considering that Notre Dame has one of the better secondaries in the country, his two interceptions were just bad passes while he had time in the pocket. The game against McNeese next Saturday should give him some reps to work on timing and get some confidence back before they get to the meat of their season.

STAT LINE: 12/30 - 100 yards - 2 interceptions

Stock up - The offensive line

The Texas A&M offensive line came into this game with a lot of eyes on them. For the past few seasons, they have carried a little bit of the blame for the quarterback not being able to stay healthy and a lackluster running game.

While they didn't look great at times against Notre Dame, their improvement over last season is apparent to the naked eye. The Aggies ran for 146 yards and allowed only one sack, which was more of a coverage. They played very well against a top defensive line, and there is definitely something there to work towards heading into SEC play.

Stock down - OC Collin Klein

It's a little hard to judge the offensive game plan based on this game due to how off Weigman and the wide receivers looked throughout the game. That led to the Irish defense being able to sell out on the run, causing long 2nd and 3rd down attempts.

The biggest issue was that the receivers failed to gain separation from the defensive backs all night long, but based on the out viewpoint, it looked like the scheme never really changed to find ways to create that space. For now, the playcalling leaves a lot to be desired, and we'll see how long fans can stay the course while this team figures out what will work best for success.

Stock up - Rylan Kennedy

While his stats don't pop off the screen, he flashed several times with a few pressures and had a QB hit. There has been a lot of off-season talk about how much he has grown and is expected to work himself into more playing time. He definitely looks the part, and as the season goes along, I believe he will become a mainstay among the front seven.

Stock down - Dalton Brooks

There is only one reason he made this list, and if you saw the first offensive drive from Notre Dame, you know exactly why. Notre Dame QB Riley Leonard scrambled out of the pocket and slid, giving himself up, ending the play.

However, Brooks was a little excited few in from the secondary and nailed Leonard well after he was already down, making a very easy ejection call from the officials. It was an important teaching moment for the young DB and hopefully, he will learn from it.

This article originally appeared on Aggies Wire: Stock up, stock down: Players who shined, who needs to improve after Texas A&M's loss