Breaking down the first-round College Football Playoff matchup between Texas A&M and Miami…
No. 7 Texas A&M vs. No. 10 Miami
When: 11 a.m. Saturday at Kyle Field in College Station
Records: Texas A&M (11-1 overall, 7-1 SEC); Miami (10-2, 6-2 ACC)
Last meeting: Miami defeated Texas A&M, 48-33, in Miami on Sept. 9, 2023.
Sports Roundup
TV: ABC/ESPN
What’s at stake?
The Aggies ended their historically successful season on a sour note, missing out on a spot in the Southeastern Conference Championship with a loss to rival No. 16 Texas. If A&M can win on Saturday, it would be a huge step forward for the Aggie program in its second year under head coach Mike Elko.
The lone representative from the Atlantic Coast Conference, Miami looked unstoppable in 2025 before suffering a pair of upsets at the hands of Louisville and SMU. A win for the Hurricanes would prove exactly why they deserved a spot in the CFP over Notre Dame.
When Texas A&M has the ball
Offensive coordinator Collin Klein has been splitting time between College Station and Manhattan, Kansas, as he prepares to take charge of his alma mater, Kansas State. It will be interesting to see the effects of the coaching transition on the Aggie offensive play calling, especially against a stacked Hurricane defense that allows the sixth fewest points per game in the nation.
Despite finding great success under center for A&M this season with 25 passing touchdowns and six rushing scores, Marcel Reed seemingly played himself out of Heisman Trophy contention with a two-interception meltdown against Texas. Reed will need to rebound and stay composed against the Miami pass rush for the Aggies’ offense to avoid stalling out and falling behind early.
Keeping Reed’s jersey clean is easier said than done, considering the Hurricanes have posted 34 sacks and have a top-20 player in the 2026 NFL draft in Rueben Bain Jr., according to ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. However, Aggie offensive lineman and SEC Jacobs Blocking Trophy winner Trey Zuhn III insisted that the A&M OL isn’t worried about the responsibility of handling Bain in the trenches. Regardless of how confident the Aggies are, taking care of the Hurricane pass rush will surely be the top priority.
Out wide is where the Aggies have excelled most in 2025, with KC Concepcion and Mario Craver hauling in 886 and 825 yards, respectively. Combined, it’s the most receiving yardage by any A&M duo since 2013, so expect both of them to get open repeatedly and do even more damage after the catch as Reed’s go-to targets. Paul Hornung Award winner Concepcion is also an elite punt returner, so look for him to give the Aggies good starting field position on fieldable balls.
Despite the loss of Le’Veon Moss, the Aggies have still managed to effectively run the ball, surpassing 200 rushing yards in four of six games. However, the Hurricanes boast the seventh-best run defense in the country, allowing just 86.83 yards on the ground per game, so it will take a combined effort from the Aggie backfield to establish the run. Rueben Owens II has carried a bulk of the load in Moss’ absence, recording 618 rushing yards and five touchdowns. Owens might have some stress relieved if Moss can return against Miami since he was listed as questionable on the Wednesday injury report.
Sources: Texas A&M tailback Le’Veon Moss is expected to be questionable for the College Football Playoff clash with Miami on Saturday. He’s missed the final six games with an ankle injury but has returned to practice. Mike Elko has called it “wait and see” for Saturday. pic.twitter.com/uMqRF4XC1k
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 17, 2025
When Miami has the ball
Quarterback Carson Beck has looked more or less the same, even after going from Georgia to Miami. Beck has been at fault for the Hurricanes’ two losses this season, throwing four interceptions against Louisville and two against SMU.
If Beck can play clean turnover-free football, Miami can rack up points quickly. But if he sinks under the pressure of Kyle Field, the Hurricanes’ offense is coming down with him. Luckily for Miami, A&M has struggled to pick off opposing QBs this season with just three interceptions, the second fewest in the nation.
The Aggie pass rush, which has accumulated the most sacks in the country at 41, will look to wreak havoc in the Miami backfield. Leading the Aggies off the edge is SEC Defensive Player of the Year Cashius Howell, who has contributed 11.5 sacks to that count, the most by any player in the SEC. Meanwhile, seven other defenders have recorded two or more sacks this season. This excellent pass rush will force Beck to make quick decisions against the Aggies, who boast the best third-down defense in the country.
The Hurricanes’ top receiving threat happens to be true freshman Malachi Toney, who broke the Miami record for receiving yards by a freshman with 970, not to mention seven receiving touchdowns. The A&M defense will need to hone in on stopping Toney, as he possesses game-breaking athleticism. He is also a threat from the wildcat, with two passing touchdowns to go along with a single rushing score.
Toney isn’t the only Hurricane capable of breaking open, with Keelan Marion securing 557 receiving yards and one touchdown, while CJ Daniels has managed to haul in 391 yards and seven touchdowns. Needless to say, the Aggie secondary is going to have its hands full guarding Beck’s artillery of weapons at receiver.
The Miami running back room is headlined by Mark Fletcher Jr., with 685 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns. Expect him to receive a bulk of the carries against an A&M defense that has struggled against the run in 2025. Diagnosing the run will fall on the shoulders of Aggie team captain Taurean York, who leads the team in tackles for the second straight season.
Prediction
This matchup is going to come down to which QB can play the cleaner game, as both teams are going to get after the passer all day. Reed’s athleticism could allow him to escape the pocket and keep the play alive, while Beck is much less mobile and could easily succumb to the Aggie pass rush.
This is going to be a back-and-forth occasion with either side capable of flipping the game on its head at any moment. With homefield advantage, if A&M can avoid getting in its own way and making vital mistakes, the Aggies will book themselves a ticket to the Cotton Bowl.
Score: Texas A&M 27, Miami 24
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