Miami Hurricanes Survive Against Texas A&M Aggies To Advance In College Football Playoff
If you tuned into this game expecting a high-flying, air-raid shootout, you probably changed the channel by halftime. But if you’re a Miami fan, you don’t care about style points today. You care about survival. And that is exactly what the Hurricanes did.
In a game that featured more missed kicks than touchdowns and enough wind to blow a goalpost over, Miami walked into one of the loudest environments in college football, Kyle Field, and walked out with a 10-3 victory over Texas A&M. It wasn’t always pretty, but it was gutsy, and it punched their ticket to the Cotton Bowl.
How Miami Broke the Deadlock Late In the Fourth
For nearly 58 minutes, this game was a certified rock fight. We went into the locker room at halftime tied 0-0—the first time that has ever happened in College Football Playoff history. The wind was wreaking havoc on the kickers, with Miami and Texas A&M combining to miss four field goals. It felt like whichever team found the end zone first would win.
That moment finally came with less than two minutes on the clock. After the Aggies tied the game at 3-3 midway through the fourth, the Miami offense finally woke up. Or, more accurately, Mark Fletcher Jr. woke them up. The running back put the entire city of Coral Gables on his back, exploding for a massive 56-yard run that silenced the 100,000 fans in College Station. Fletcher finished the day with a career-high 172 yards.
That set the stage for the freshmen to shine. With 1:44 remaining, Quarterback Carson Beck flipped a pop pass to freshman sensation Malachi Toney on a sweep. Toney turned the corner, raced 11 yards, and dove into the end zone for the game’s only touchdown.
Why the Miami Defense Deserves the Game Ball
While the offense got the glory at the end, the Miami defense was the story of the day. They were absolutely suffocating. Led by Rueben Bain Jr., who looked unblockable while racking up three sacks and a blocked field goal, the defensive front made life miserable for Texas A&M Quarterback Marcel Reed. The Aggies just couldn’t get comfortable.
Even after Toney’s touchdown put Miami up 10-3, the game wasn’t over. Texas A&M drove down the field in a panic, reaching the red zone with under a minute left. Enter Bryce Fitzgerald. The true freshman defensive back, who had already picked off a pass earlier in the game, baited Reed into a throw toward the end zone. Fitzgerald jumped the route, snagged his second interception of the night, and effectively ended the game.
What Is Next For the Hurricanes?
This wasn’t the offensive explosion we saw earlier in the season, but it proved this team can win ugly. They battled the elements, the crowd, and a top-tier SEC defense, and they didn’t blink.
The reward for this gritty win? A date with the No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl on New Year’s Eve. The competition gets stiffer from here, but for now, Miami is dancing into the quarterfinals.
