Miami and Texas A&M are making their first College Football Playoff appearances.
Can the Hurricanes pull the upset after sneaking into the field, or will Texas A&M set up a quasi-home-game quarterfinal matchup with Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl?
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The Hurricanes leapfrogged Notre Dame in the final rankings to make the playoff. Maybe you’ve read about it. The Aggies, meanwhile, had designs on a first-round bye before a late-season loss to bitter rival Texas.
The defenses are strikingly similar against the pass. Opponents have completed less than 60% of their passes for fewer than 200 yards per game against both A&M and Miami. But Miami has held opponents to fewer than five yards a carry and forces nearly two turnovers per game. A&M has forced just nine turnovers all season.
Will turnovers be the difference? And can Miami’s Mark Fletcher Jr. open up space for Carson Beck to operate through the air? Beck had two really ugly games in 2025, and both of those games resulted in Miami losses.
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A&M QB Marcel Reed was perhaps the most surprising player to miss out on the top 10 of the Heisman voting after his successful season. Reed isn’t the passer Beck is — he’s completed just 62% of his passes — but he’s rushed for 466 yards and six scores while also throwing 25 touchdowns.
Follow along below as the Yahoo Sports crew breaks down all of the action. Here’s how to watch Miami vs. Texas A&M and the rest of the College Football Playoff games.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
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Yahoo Sports Staff
IT’S OVER! Marcel Reed is off the mark on a throw to the end zone and Miami freshman Bryce Fitzgerald steps in front of it to win the game with a pick.
Final: Miami 10, Texas A&M 3
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Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies are moving the ball with ease on the ensuing possession with a mix of Marcel Reed passes and scrambles.
They’re nearing the red zone with less than a minute to go.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Well just when it looked like Miami would settle for a field goal, freshman receiver Malachi Toney takes a backfield pass out wide and scores the first touchdown of the game!
Miami 10, Texas A&M 3 | 1:44 left
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Mark Fletcher has 170 yards on 16 carries. He has carried Miami in this one. The Canes are trying to milk the clock down now but Texas A&M is taking timeouts.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Fletcher has been one of the few bright spots for the Canes today and he just came through with a monster 56-yard run with time ticking down under the 4-minute mark.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies weren’t able to capitalize on the turnover and give it back to the Canes with just over 4 minutes left in the game.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
It’s the first Miami turnover of the game and it comes at a crucial time. Malachi Toney caught a pass over the middle, but was stripped of the ball while fighting for extra yards.
A&M will have the ball back at midfield.
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Nick Bromberg
16 plays, 67 yards. All for a field goal.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
We are all tied in College Station after Randy Bond makes a 35-yard field goal.
Miami 3, Texas A&M 3 | 8:03 left
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Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies are finding ways to convert on third down and they’re now inside the 20 with just under 10 minutes left in the game.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies finally have some positive momentum early in the fourth quarter. They’re out past midfield with a fresh set of downs and Marcel Reed is finding a little bit of a rhythm.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
The Canes got it out to midfield, but opted to punt it instead of going for it on fourth-and-short. Their defense has blanked A&M so far, so it’s probably the right call.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Miami might’ve gotten away with a late hit along the sideline, but no flag was thrown and the Canes will get it back.
There’s just over 3:30 left in the third quarter.
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Nick Bromberg
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Yahoo Sports Staff
Carter Davis has missed ANOTHER kick. This one doinks off the left upright and it’ll remain 3-0.
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Nick Bromberg
Reed just simply did not read Miami’s zone defense well on that interception.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
We have another turnover by A&M’s Marcel Reed! This time he badly missed his receiver and threw it right into the hands of Miami’s Bryce Fitzgerald, who returned the pick near the red zone.
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Nick Bromberg
There’s something to be said about scoring points in a 0-0 game in the third quarter, but A&M hasn’t shown that it can reliably go 98 yards if the Aggies’ defense stopped Miami. I would have gone for the touchdown.
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Yahoo Sports Staff
We have points in College Station! The Hurricanes got all the way down to the 2-yard line and Mario Cristobal elected to kick the short field goal instead of going for it on fourth down and Carter Davis made it.
Miami 3, Texas A&M 0
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Yahoo Sports Staff
The Canes are finally showing signs of life offensively after several mid-range passes by Carson Beck and a 24-yard run by Mark Fletcher Jr.
They’re inside the red zone now.





