Bryce Fitzgerald had a game-sealing interception with 24 seconds left, and No. 10 Miami (Fla.) beat No. 7 Texas A&M, 10-3, on the road in the first round of the College Football Playoff on Saturday.
This matchup was a defensive battle, with both offenses struggling to score. At halftime, the game was scoreless, and Texas A&M coach Mike Elko told the broadcast that “someone’s going to have to find a way to win it.”
That’s what the Hurricanes did. Wide receiver Malachi Toney made up for a fourth-quarter fumble by scoring the winning touchdown with 1:44 remaining. And while the Aggies looked dangerous driving in the final moments, quarterback Marcel Reed threw his second interception of the game, this time in the end zone.
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Whereas there weren’t a whole lot of factors, the sport was nonetheless fairly entertaining. Listed here are my takeaways:
1. Miami freshmen come by means of for the win
Malachi Toney totaled 82 yards on 4 punt returns and scored Miami’s solely landing on Saturday. (Picture by Alex Slitz/Getty Pictures)
With the sport knotted 3-3 within the fourth quarter, Toney, a freshman, fumbled instantly after catching a go from quarterback Carson Beck. With the sport on the road, Toney was crushed, and TV cameras confirmed teammates consoling him on the sideline. The Hurricanes’ protection compelled the Aggies to punt on the following drive, and on the following possession, Toney obtained redemption.
Miami operating again Mark Fletcher Jr. pounded the Aggies’ protection within the run sport, piling up 172 yards on 17 carries. On the primary play of the go-ahead drive, Fletcher went 56 yards and carried the ball 4 extra instances to set Miami up on the 11-yard line. Then with Miami dealing with third-and-5 from, Beck discovered Toney for what would in the end be the game-winning landing (in addition to the one landing scored all sport).
“[My teammates] had been relying on me to make a play, in order that’s what I did,” Toney informed the printed after the sport. “I admire the coaches trusting me like that.”
After Toney’s landing, Texas A&M had lower than two minutes to drive down the sphere and attempt to tie it up. The Aggies seemed in management and located themselves dealing with third-and-5 from the Hurricanes’ 5-yard line. That’s when defensive again Fitzgerald, additionally a freshman, got here up massive and intercepted Reed in the long run zone to complete the sport.
“The protection was phenomenal, holding them to a few factors,” Toney mentioned. “Bryce, we textual content one another earlier than each sport. The youngins are attempting to vary this system. We simply gotta carry on going.”
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2. Wind was a reputable issue, particularly within the kicking sport
Miami kicker Carter Davis transformed on simply certainly one of his 4 area aim makes an attempt on Saturday. (Picture by Tim Warner/Getty Pictures)
Climate can actually be used as an excuse in sports activities, nevertheless it really had an influence on this sport. Wind gusts in School Station on Saturday had been reportedly as much as 30 miles per hour. It was straightforward to inform on TV, with towels round gamers’ waists flapping wildly and the flags atop Kyle Area blowing.
Within the first quarter, Texas A&M receiver KJ Concepcion uncharacteristically muffed a punt. Concepcion had the second-most punt return yards within the nation this 12 months, returning 23 punts for 460 yards with two touchdowns getting into this sport.
Later, the wind took maintain once more on a Miami area aim try. With 3:30 left within the first half and the sport scoreless, kicker Carter Davis tried a 47-yarder that seemed prefer it was going by means of the uprights — till it was pushed barely to the precise. Davis ended up lacking three of 4 area aim makes an attempt, and the wind doubtless performed an element.
“I believe the wind is enjoying a job in it for positive,” Elko informed the printed at halftime.
3. Sloppy and ineffective offenses
Marcell Reed threw for 237 yards, two interceptions and nil touchdowns on Saturday. (Picture by Tim Warner/Getty Pictures)
Each Texas A&M and Miami entered this matchup as top-20 scoring offenses. The Aggies, ranked 14th nationally, averaged 36.3 factors per sport this season and solely scored fewer than 31 factors twice this season (towards Auburn and Texas). The Hurricanes, ranked nineteenth, averaged 34.1 factors per sport and solely scored fewer than 26 factors twice this season (in losses to Louisville and SMU).
On Saturday, neither offense was notably efficient. The Hurricanes amassed a mere 69 yards of whole offense within the first half after which opened the third quarter with a 72-yard drive. However they had been unable to attain a landing and settled for a area aim. The drive included just a few chunk performs, like 20- and 10-yard completions to receiver Keelan Marion to maneuver down the sphere. It wasn’t till the sport was on the road on the finish, they usually relied on Fletcher and the operating sport, that the Hurricanes cashed in on massive performs.
Texas A&M, in the meantime, failed to attain a landing. Within the first half, the Aggies had six drives that resulted in three punts, one blocked area aim, a turnover on downs and a fumble. The second half wasn’t significantly better, with drives ending in two punts, two interceptions and one made area aim.
4. Two most controversial groups in CFP win
Miami (Fla.) head coach Mario Cristobal earned his first CFP playoff win on Saturday. (Picture by David Buono/Icon Sportswire by way of Getty Pictures)
The 2 most controversial groups to earn spots within the 12-team playoff — Alabama and Miami — each received their first-round video games on the highway.
On Friday evening, Alabama averted a second loss to Oklahoma this season by getting back from a 17-0 deficit to win, 34-24. Then on Saturday, Miami received a dramatic defensive battle, 10-3.
4 ½: What’s subsequent?
For Miami, a matchup with No. 2 Ohio State within the Cotton Bowl awaits on New Yr’s Eve. And given how dominant the Buckeyes have seemed all season on each side of the ball, the Hurricanes might want to play considerably higher to tug off a win.
Ohio State has the very best protection within the nation, and you already know that defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has been scouting for weeks. So Miami’s offense goes to discover a technique to look extra prefer it did over the last 4 weeks of the common season.
Laken Litman covers school soccer, school basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She is the writer of “Sturdy Like a Lady,” revealed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Observe her at @LakenLitman.
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