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 number of factors, the sport was nonetheless fairly entertaining. Listed below 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 cross 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 pressured the Aggies to punt on the following drive, and on the following possession, Toney bought redemption.
Miami working 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 finally be the game-winning landing (in addition to the one landing scored all sport).
“[My teammates] have been relying on me to make a play, in order that’s what I did,” Toney instructed the printed after the sport. “I respect the coaches trusting me like that.”
After Toney’s landing, Texas A&M had lower than two minutes to drive down the sector and attempt to tie it up. The Aggies regarded 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 huge and intercepted Reed in the long run zone to complete the sport.
“The protection was phenomenal, holding them to 3 factors,” Toney stated. “Bryce, we textual content one another earlier than each sport. The youngins try to alter this system. We simply gotta carry on going.”
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2. Wind was a official issue, particularly within the kicking sport
Miami kicker Carter Davis transformed on simply one in every of his 4 subject 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 truly had an influence on this sport. Wind gusts in Faculty Station on Saturday have been reportedly as much as 30 miles per hour. It was simple to inform on TV, with towels round gamers’ waists flapping wildly and the flags atop Kyle Subject 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 coming into this sport.
Later, the wind took maintain once more on a Miami subject aim try. With 3:30 left within the first half and the sport scoreless, kicker Carter Davis tried a 47-yarder that regarded prefer it was going by means of the uprights — till it was pushed barely to the best. Davis ended up lacking three of 4 subject aim makes an attempt, and the wind doubtless performed an element.
“I believe the wind is enjoying a job in it for certain,” Elko instructed 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 (in opposition to 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 significantly efficient. The Hurricanes amassed a mere 69 yards of complete offense within the first half after which opened the third quarter with a 72-yard drive. However they have been unable to attain a landing and settled for a subject aim. The drive included a couple of chunk performs, like 20- and 10-yard completions to receiver Keelan Marion to maneuver down the sector. It wasn’t till the sport was on the road on the finish, they usually relied on Fletcher and the working sport, that the Hurricanes cashed in on huge performs.
Texas A&M, in the meantime, failed to attain a landing. Within the first half, the Aggies had six drives that led to three punts, one blocked subject aim, a turnover on downs and a fumble. The second half wasn’t a lot better, with drives ending in two punts, two interceptions and one made subject 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 night time, Alabama prevented 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 regarded 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 understand that defensive coordinator Matt Patricia has been scouting for weeks. So Miami’s offense goes to discover a strategy to look extra prefer it did over the past 4 weeks of the common season.
Laken Litman covers faculty soccer, faculty basketball and soccer for FOX Sports activities. She is the creator of “Robust Like a Girl,” printed in spring 2022 to mark the fiftieth anniversary of Title IX. Comply with her at @LakenLitman.
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