COLLEGE STATION — Five yards away from overtime, Texas A&M football instead saw its season end in a critical interception in the end zone that sealed Miami’s 10-3 win in their first-round College Football Playoff game Saturday at Kyle Field.
The Aggies, out of timeouts and needing a length-of-the-field touchdown in the final two minutes, got the length-of-the-field part down, using some nifty quick passing from quarterback Marcel Reed, some smart decisions by pass catchers to get out of bounds and a costly 15-yard roughing the passer penalty to reach first-and-goal at Miami’s 5-yard line with 40 seconds left.
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Amari Daniels (4) of Texas A&M carries the ball during the first half against Miami at Hard Rock Stadium on Sep. 09, 2023 in Miami Gardens, Fla. (Photo by Lauren Sopourn/Getty Images)
Lauren Sopourn/Getty Images
But Reed’s first pass into the end zone was caught out of bounds, his second was broken up by a big hit and his third was picked off to end the game.
The Hurricanes (11-2) advance to play No. 2 Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31 for the CFP quarterfinals. The Aggies (11-2) end their season trying to figure out what went wrong with the offense, which ended up looking not right going back to the second half of the loss to Texas the night after Thanksgiving. Running back Le’Veon Moss, who hadn’t played since mid-October, returned for A&M wasn’t much of a factor before leaving with five-and-a-half minutes left in the third quarter.
Reed passed for 237 yards and was picked off twice. He was A&M’s leading rusher with 27 yards. Miami’s Carson Beck was 14 of 20 for 103 yards and what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown pass, an 11-yard jet sweep to Miami freshman Malachi Toney. Mark Fletcher rushed for 172 yards, the big gain a 56-yard run that led to Toney’s score.
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Both defenses made the day a long one for the offenses. So did the wind. The Hurricanes missed three field goals from 47, 30 and 35 yards, and winds affected passes and punts throughout the game.
Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed (10) runs with the ball in the first quarter of a College Football Playoff game Dec. 20, 2025 at Kyle Field in College Station.
Steve Limentani/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images
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These were our updates throughout the game:
Texas A&M couldn’t have asked for more, pulling a long drive in a short amount of time in the final two minutes of this CFP matchup, but quarterback Marcel Reed has thrown an interception in the Miami end zone and the Hurricanes are headed to the quarterfinals.
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The Aggies drove 71 yards in 1:05 to reach first-and-goal at the 5-yard line. From there, however, the Aggies couldn’t punch through:
On first and goal, Reed found Mario Craver in the back of the end zone, but it was a little too far back in the end zone (out of bounds).
On second-and-goal, Reed tried to thread it into Reuben Owens II at the goal line, but that was broken up by Miami’s Mohamed Toure that left both players shaken up.
On third-and-goal, Reed threw into the end zone, but was picked off.
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Do the Aggies have a late comeback up their sleeves?
Miami’s Malachi Toney, making up for his midfield fumble on the Hurricanes’ last drive, has scored the first touchdown of this game on an 11-yard jet sweep around the right end to put the Hurricanes up 10-3. The big play of the drive was Mark Fletcher’s 56-yard run. A&M is out of timeouts, too.
Miami running back Mark Fletcher broke through the line for a big 56-yard run on the first play of the drive, then added a 12-yarder up the middle down to A&M’s 16-yard line. The game has stopped at the 2-minute warning. Flether has 15 carries for 167 yards today.
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The fumble at midfield ended up a nothingburger for Texas A&M. The Aggies went three-and-out and have punted it right back. Miami will take over at its own 14.
Texas A&M’s Dalton Brooks has made the defensive play of the game (so far) for the Aggies: He stripped Miami freshman receiver Malachi Toney after a catch over the middle. The Aggies recovered at midfield and have taken over possession. It’s still a 3-3 game.
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It was only the second lost fumble of the season for Miami.
Field goal kicking has been an adventure for A&M, but a 35-yard field goal by Randy Bond ties the game at the half way point of the fourth quarter.
The Aggies’ offense has not been able to find a rhythm at all and has now turned the ball over twice. Luckily for A&M is that Miami missed a third field goal to keep the score 3-0. Aggies ball on their own 20.
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It took until well into the third quarter to do so but the scoring drought is over. Miami traveled 72 yards on nine plays before making a 21-yard field goal to take the 3-0 lead.
Offense has been nonexistent in this one, and to try to spark a drive, the Aggies ran a fake punt. The pass from punter Tyler White to Ashton Bethel-Roman fell incomplete, giving the Hurricanes the ball on the plus-46.
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After A&M missed a field goal minutes earlier, Miami missed one as well from 47 yards out. Both teams have struggled offensively and on special teams, while both defenses have looked the part in the first half.
A false start on third-and-2 pushes A&M back and forces it to punt. The ensuing punt was returned 55 yards to the Aggies 25 yard line putting Miami in scoring range for the first time.
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It’s been a defensive struggle early on, and after the blocked field goal, A&M’s defense stands up to force a punt. All four of the Hurricanes drives have resulted in a punt, with Miami struggling to find any offensive rhythm thus far.
After a 59-yard pass from Marcel Reed to Mario Craver set up a potential scoring opportunity at the Miami 11-yard line, a field goal attempt by Jared Zirkle was blocked, leaving the score tied at 0-0. The Aggies have now had two drives that crossed midfield but ended without points; the first drive was halted by a fumble from Reed.
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Miami will get the ball on its own 13 yard line to start the drive.
Slow going offensively for both teams so far, as each opening drive ended in a punt.
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Where: Kyle Field in College Station
TV/radio: ABC, 1370 AM in Austin; 1150 AM, 93.7 FM in College Station.
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Moneyline: Texas A&M +150, Miami -185
Spread: Texas A&M is favored by 3½ points.
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Partly cloudy conditions with temperatures expected to be in the low 70s at kickoff.
Week 1 vs UTSA: W, 42-24
Week 2 vs Utah State: W, 44-22
Week 3 at Notre Dame: W, 41-40
Week 4 Sept. 20: BYE
Week 5 vs Auburn: W, 16-10
Week 6 vs Mississippi State: W, 31-9
Week 7 vs Florida: W, 34-17
Week 8: at Arkansas: W, 45-42
Week 9 vs LSU: W, 49-25
Week 10: BYE
Week 11 vs Missouri: W, 38-17
Week 12 vs South Carolina: W, 31-30
Week 13 vs Samford: W, 48-0
Week 14 vs Texas: L, 27-17
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Reach Texas A&M beat reporter Tony Catalina via email at Anthony.Catalina@statesman.com.