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.
Live30 updatesSat, December 20, 2025 at 10:53 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 10:40 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
This doesn’t tell the whole story, but enough of it. A&M’s Marcel Reed connected with Mario Craver for 59 yards, and Miami’s Malachi Toney had a 55-yard punt return. But both drives ended with missed FGs.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 10:33 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
We’re heading into the break still scoreless after Miami’s Carter Davis missed a 40-yard attempt by a country mile.
It’s really windy in College Station, but that kick was awful.
Miami 0, Texas A&M 0
Nick Bromberg
At least it was an entertaining 0-0 half. Not pretty. Not good special teams. But it wasn’t boring.
Nick Bromberg
Only two teams have been shut out in CFP history. Ohio State in 2016 and Michigan State in 2015.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 10:25 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies tried to get cute and had their punter attempt a pass on fourth down and it fell incomplete.
The Canes will have the ball in A&M territory once again. We’ll see if they can do anything with it as time ticks down on the first half.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 10:15 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Despite the long punt return, the Canes come away scoreless after Carter Davis missed the 47-yard attempt on a windy day in College Station.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 10:12 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Well the Hurricanes finally have a spark and it came from Malachi Toney as it usually does. The uber-talented freshman just returned a punt 55 yards to put the Canes in scoring range.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 10:04 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Canes have been stifled once again after the blocked kick and will punt it right back to the Aggies.
There’s just over 8 minutes left in the second quarter.
Nick Bromberg
Kicker Randy Bond was very reliable for Texas A&M over the last three years. He was 59-of-76 on field goal attempts entering 2025. He’s just 11-of-18 this year and those struggles led to him getting benched at the end of the season.
Backup kicker Jared Zirkel has taken his place … and that happened.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 9:58 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
We are still scoreless after an ugly kick resulted in an awkwardly low ball flight and Miami’s Rueben Bain Jr. was able to block it.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 9:56 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
Marcel Reed just unleashed a bomb to Mario Craver, who bobbled and then caught the ball before going out inside the 10.
It’s a 59-yard gain for the Aggies in the game’s first big play.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 9:54 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Canes couldn’t do anything on the ensuing possession and dodged a bullet when Carson Beck put the ball on the ground in the backfield.
Texas A&M will have it back.
Nick Bromberg
It was a shocker that Oklahoma scored 17 points in the first 20 minutes on Friday night. It’s a bit of a shocker we have no points so far, but both of these defenses are really, really good. So maybe this is the game we thought we’d get last night.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 9:48 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies will be punting it back over to the Canes when the second quarter starts. It’s been a bit of a slog so far in College Station.
A&M has 81 total yards compared to Miami’s 28.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 9:43 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Canes were able to get a first down after the turnover but that’s it. The Aggies’ defense is showing up early in this one.
A&M has it back after another punt.
Nick Bromberg
We saw how big of a role turnovers played for Oklahoma in its loss to Alabama. Can Miami capitalize like the Crimson Tide did? A&M is minus-8 in turnover margin this year.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 9:37 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Canes put pressure on Marcel Reed while he was scrambling and Keionte Scott was able to strip him before he threw it.
Miami fell on the ball so they’ll have it back in their own territory. That’s a big defensive play by Scott and the Canes.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 9:34 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Aggies are over midfield again with a couple first down throws by Marcel Reed. They’re on the edge of field goal range.
Sat, December 20, 2025 at 9:30 AM PST
Yahoo Sports Staff
The Canes couldn’t do much on their first possession and will give it right back to the Aggies.
A&M will have it at its own 38.