Miami freshman Malachi Toney made a remarkable comeback by scoring the decisive 11-yard touchdown with less than two minutes remaining, propelling the No. 10 seed Miami to a 10-3 victory over No. 7 Texas A&M in the College Football Playoff on Saturday. This win advances the Hurricanes (11-2) to the Cotton Bowl, where they will face No. 2 seed Ohio State on December 31.
Toney”s crucial play came just after a potential blunder. Earlier in the game, he had caught a pass, but Dalton Brooks knocked the ball loose, allowing Daymion Sanford to recover it at the Texas A&M 47-yard line with around seven minutes left. After this setback, Toney received support from his teammates on the sideline, who encouraged him to stay positive.
The Hurricanes regained momentum when Rueben Bain Jr. sacked Marcel Reed on two of three plays during the subsequent drive, forcing a punt. On the following drive, Mark Fletcher Jr. showcased his talent with a career-long 56-yard run on the first play, bringing Miami to the Texas A&M 30-yard line with approximately three minutes remaining.
Miami continued their drive with four more runs by Fletcher, setting the stage for Toney, who caught a short pass from Carson Beck and sprinted into the end zone. Following this score, Texas A&M had an opportunity to tie the game, but Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted Reed for the second time, this time in the end zone, sealing the victory for the Hurricanes.
The Miami defense delivered an outstanding performance, effectively neutralizing Texas A&M”s high-scoring offense, which had averaged 36.3 points per game before this matchup. They pressured Reed consistently, leading to a series of mistakes including a fumble in the first quarter and multiple interceptions. The Hurricanes sacked Reed seven times, forcing him to make difficult throws throughout the game. He completed 25 of 39 passes for 257 yards but could not get the Aggies into the end zone, marking the first time this season they failed to score.
After securing the last at-large bid for the playoff, the Hurricanes now have the chance to pursue their first national championship since 2001 during their inaugural appearance in the CFP. On the other hand, Texas A&M (11-2) faced disappointment in their playoff debut, having lost to their rival Texas in the regular-season finale following a strong start to the season with 11 consecutive wins.
Beck, in his first year at Miami after transferring from Georgia, finished the game completing 14 of 20 passes for a season-low 103 yards. Reed made a critical drive while facing a second-and-18 from his own 8-yard line, completing key throws to Ashton Bethel-Roman for 15 and 13 yards, respectively. Later, on third-and-10, Reed found Bethel-Roman again, adding a 12-yard completion to Mario Craver, but the drive stalled, leading to a 35-yard field goal by Randy Bond that tied the game with about eight minutes left.
The Hurricanes opened the second half with a methodical nine-play, 72-yard drive, capped by a 21-yard field goal that put them ahead 3-0. Keelan Marion contributed a 20-yard catch on that drive, while Fletcher added a 24-yard run on a crucial third down. Following Fitzgerald”s interception and a 36-yard return to the Texas A&M 20, Miami could not capitalize, with Davis missing a 35-yard field goal attempt that hit the left upright.
Reed fumbled towards the end of the first quarter, but Miami failed to convert the turnover into points. A 59-yard reception by Craver brought the Aggies to the 11-yard line early in the second quarter, but they could not advance, resulting in a blocked 22-yard field goal attempt by Bain, marking Miami”s first blocked field goal since the season opener against Bethune-Cookman in 2022.
Toney”s impressive 55-yard punt return placed Miami at the Texas A&M 25-yard line late in the second quarter. He nearly scored but was brought down by a shoestring tackle by Marcus Ratcliffe. The Hurricanes” chance at points ended with a missed 47-yard field goal attempt by Davis. As the first half concluded, Davis”s 40-yard field goal attempt also went wide right.
For Miami, this win solidified their place in the CFP after skepticism regarding their selection over Notre Dame. Conversely, Texas A&M will now have a long offseason to reflect on their unexpected early exit from the playoffs.
