Miami upsets Texas A&M in College Football Playoff after clutch goal line stand

<i>Alex Slitz/Getty Images via CNN Newsource</i><br/>Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney scores the only touchdown of the game in the fourth quarter to defeat the Texas A&M Aggies.

By CNN Newsource

Published December 20, 2025 12:55 PM

By Kevin Dotson, CNN

(CNN) — Saturday features a trio of College Football Playoff (CFP) first round matchups.

The first game of the day saw the No. 7 seed Texas A&M Aggies hosting the No. 10 seed Miami Hurricanes, who made waves as the last at-large team selected into the field by the CFP committee, edging out a disappointed Notre Dame team that opted out of playing in a bowl game after the snub.

The Aggies and Canes played a scoreless, and mostly uneventful, first half in College Station, Texas. It was the first time in history that a CFP game reached halftime without a point being scored since the playoff began in 2014.

Gusty winds played havoc with both team’s kickers at Kyle Field, as Miami’s Carter Davis and A&M’s Jared Zirkel combined for four missed field goals in the game. Davis finally knocked one through on the Hurricanes’ opening drive of the second half for the first points of the afternoon, then the Aggies tied it 3-3 after switching to kicker Randy Bond.

Miami was first to find the end zone when quarterback Carson Beck pitched the ball to wide receiver Malachi Toney on an end around, and Toney sprinted down the sideline for an 11-yard touchdown.

A&M quickly moved the ball downfield in search of a game-tying touchdown, reaching the Miami five-yard-line. Aggies quarterback Marcel Reed nearly connected with running back Rueben Owens II for a TD, but the reception was broken up by Mohamed Toure in a huge collision. After initially laying motionless on the field surrounded by medical staff, Toure eventually trotted off the field under his own power.

On the next play, Reed’s pass was picked off by Bryce Fitzgerald – his second interception of the game – to seal the 10-3 win for the Hurricanes. Miami advances to the quarterfinals and will face the No. 2 seed Ohio State Buckeyes on December 31 in the Cotton Bowl Classic in Arlington, Texas.

Still on the slate today, No. 6 seed Ole Miss hosts No. 11 seed Tulane, underway now from Oxford, Mississippi. Then No. 5 seed Oregon hosts No. 12 seed James Madison at 7:30 p.m. ET in Eugene, Oregon.

Alabama rallies to the Rose Bowl

The CFP started Friday night as the No. 9 seed Alabama Crimson Tide traveled to Norman, Oklahoma, to face the No. 8 seed Oklahoma Sooners in a battle of SEC foes.

Oklahoma sprinted out to a 17-0 lead midway through the second quarter, but then the Crimson Tide caught fire.

A diving, spinning touchdown from Lotzeir Brooks on a fourth down pass from Ty Simpson, a blocked punt by Tim Keenan III and a interception return for touchdown by Zabien Brown fully swing the momentum in Alabama’s favor as the game reached haltime tied at 17.

Alabama racked up 27 unanswered points thanks in part to another touchdown strike from Simpson to Brooks. Oklahoma answered quickly, as Sooners’ quarterback John Mateer connected with Deion Burks for a 37-yard TD to cut the Tide’s lead to 27-24.

But Alabama put the game away with a 6-yard touchdown run from Daniel Hill to set a quarterfinal date in Pasadena with the top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers on New Year’s Day in the Rose Bowl.