Aggies learn their CFP path
Texas A&M is in the College Football Playoff for the first time, with their shot at a national title starting Dec. 20 at home against Miami.
The Aggies (11-1) were ranked seventh in the final CFP poll, which means a matchup against the 10th-seeded Hurricanes (10-2) at Kyle Field. The game will kick off at 11 a.m. central time and will be televised on ABC.
The winner of the Texas A&M-Miami game will play the Ohio State Buckeyes (12-1), the defending national champion and second seed, at the Goodyear Cotton Bowl New Year’s Eve.
“It’s a really cool thing to see the playoffs come out and your team to be in it,” A&M coach Mike Elko said. “I think maybe more than any other year, it was challenging to get in. There’s a lot of good teams that did not get in this year. And so we made a really, really difficult field to qualify for.”
Miami is the only representative in the CFP from the ACC, after 8-5 Duke won the conference championship Saturday night over Virginia, ending the Cavaliers’ playoff hopes. Even though the conference has been knocked for having a down year, Elko said the Hurricanes can compete anywhere.
“I don’t think there’s any doubt that any of the teams, Miami in particular, would have been extremely successful playing in the SEC this year,” he said. “Miami is an extremely talented team. They’ve got a ton of NFL draft picks on that roster, probably as many as anyone we’ve seen, maybe as many, as many as anyone in this conference this year.”
The Aggies and Hurricanes have one common opponent — Notre Dame, who lost to both teams in the first three weeks of the season and didn’t lose again, but were booted from the CFP field in favor of Miami Sunday. Elko said he and his staff had watched Miami’s 27-24 opening weekend win over the Fighting Irish and got an idea of what the Hurricanes could do.
“They’re going to be really long and athletic on defense. They’re going to have a D-line that’s getting after the quarterback, I think you’ve seen that,” Elko said. “Offensively, you know, they’re going to be extremely physical. (Miami coach Mario Cristobal) is going to pride himself on how well the offensive line plays. And they’ve got some talented skill players.”
Miami and Texas A&M did not meet in the regular season and the Hurricanes have only come to College Station twice before, most recently in 2022 when they lost 17-9 to the Aggies. Elko said the opportunity to play a non-conference foe adds a little spice to the opening round matchup.
“It’s a fresh opponent, which is always exciting, you know?” he said. “It’s the one nice thing about not drawing a team from your conference — you get an exciting new, fresh opponent gives you an opportunity to go just do something you haven’t done before.”
