Game Day Notes: Miami Hurricanes vs. Texas A&M how to watch, start time, game notes & more

#10 Miami (10-2, 6-2 ACC) AT #7 Texas A&M (11-1, 7-1 SEC)

Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025
Time: 12 p.m. ET
Location: College Station, Texas
Stadium: Kyle Field (102,733)
Series History: Miami leads, 3-2
Miami / Miami Gardens: Miami leads, 2-1
College Station: Series tied, 1-1
Neutral Site: N/A
Last Meeting: Miami won, 48-33 (Sept. 9, 2023)
Television: ABC
Talent: Sean McDonough (pxp), Greg McElroy (color), Taylor McGregor (sideline), Molly McGrath (sideline)
Radio: 104.3 WQAM Talent: Joe Zagacki, Don Bailey, Jr., Josh Darrow
Spanish Radio: Radio Libre 790 AM Talent: Alfredo Alvarez, Joe Martinez

MIAMI GAME NOTES

QUICK HITS

• The Miami Hurricanes continue their fourth season under the direction of head coach Mario Cristobal with a College Football Playoff First Round matchup on the road at Texas A&M on Saturday, Dec. 20.

• Miami, seeded No. 10, is making its first-ever appearance in the CFP. Texas A&M was seeded No. 7 and will host the Hurricanes at Kyle Field.

• The Hurricanes are looking to carry late momentum into the postseason, having won their last four games of the regular season and outscoring opponents by 27.5 points per game over that 4-0 stretch.

• In year-end ACC awards, DE Rueben Bain, Jr. was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year, WR Malachi Toney was ACC Rookie of the Year and OL Francis Mauigoa won the Jacobs Blocking Trophy.

• Miami had a school-record 19 players earn All-ACC recognition, headlined by four first-team picks: Bain, Jr., Toney, Mauigoa and DE Akheem Mesidor.

NOTABLE

• #10 Miami continues its fourth season under head coach Mario Cristobal with a College Football Playoff First Round matchup at Texas A&M at Kyle Field on Saturday, Dec. 20. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on ABC, 104.3 WQAM and Radio Libre 790 AM.

• The Hurricanes entered the season ranked in the top 10 of both the Associated Press and Coaches Polls, checking in at No. 10 in both rankings, and rose to as high as No. 2 in both polls entering Week 8. Miami, ranked No. 10 in all three major polls to end the year, earned the final at-large spot for the College Football Playoff after compiling an impressive resume.

• Among UM’s top performers has been QB Carson Beck, who arrived from Georgia via transfer portal. Beck, who missed spring practices while recovering from UCL surgery, has a 34-5 (.868) record as a starting FBS QB, the best of any active player (minimum five games).

THE MATCHUP

• #10 Miami makes its maiden voyage into the College Football Playoff, opening its postseason run on Sat., Dec. 20 against host #7 Texas A&M. Miami earned the final at-large berth in the 2025-26 CFP field announced Dec. 7.

• Miami carries an all-time 3-2 lead in the series history, but has split the two games in College Station, 1-1 – a win in 2008 but a loss in 2022. The Hurricanes won the 2008 matchup, 41-23.

• The Hurricanes will take on the Aggies for the third time in the last four seasons; Miami last traveled to Kyle Field in 2022, a 17-9 loss (Sept. 17, 2022). In the last head-to-head matchup, the Hurricanes topped visiting No. 23/23 A&M, 48-33, at Hard Rock Stadium – Miami’s first ranked win under head coach Mario Cristobal (Sept. 9, 2023).

• The Dec. 20 matchup between the two teams marks Cristobal’s fourth game against the Aggies in his head coaching career; the Cristobal-led FIU Panthers fell to host Texas A&M, 27-20, during the 2010 season.

HURRICANES MAKE HISTORY WITH FIRST CFP BID

• The Hurricanes made history by qualifying for their first-ever berth in the College Football Playoff, earning the No. 10 seed in the 12-team postseason field. Miami was the only team from the ACC selected.

• Exactly four years to the date of Mario Cristobal’s introductory press conference as head football coach at the University of Miami (Dec. 7, 2021), the Hurricanes were slotted in the field (Dec. 7, 2025) to face No. 7 Texas A&M.

• Miami (10-2) closed the regular season as one of the most complete teams in the country, ranking second in the ACC in scoring offense at 34.1 points per game while leading the league in scoring defense at just 13.8 points allowed per contest. The Hurricanes also led the ACC in total defense, surrendering only 277.8 yards per game.

• On offense, Miami averaged 425.8 yards per game to help earn an at-large bid. The Hurricanes posted 5,110 total yards with 50 total touchdowns across 12 games, including 27 passing touchdowns and 23 rushing scores.

• Through the air, Miami led the ACC in passing efficiency at 165.47 while completing 73.88 percent of its throws for 3,310 yards. Defensively, Miami held opponents to just 86.8 rushing yards per game, the best mark in the ACC.

A LOOK BACK: UM DOMINATES #24 PITT IN FINALE

• The Hurricanes toppled host No. 24/24 Pittsburgh, 38-7, in their regular season finale on Nov. 29. Miami carried a 17-7 lead into halftime and outscored Pitt 21-0 in the second half to reach 10 wins for the second straight year.

• WR Malachi Toney delivered a 13-catch, 126-yard performance in the final regular season game of his freshman campaign, while QB Carson Beck finished 23-for-29 with three touchdowns, 267 passing yards and one pick.

• In addition to catching a touchdown pass, Toney also threw a 9-yard touchdown to TE Elija Lofton. WR CJ Daniels added a spectacular 33-yard touchdown reception of his own in the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium.

• UM delivered a brilliant defensive performance, with DE Rueben Bain, Jr. and DL Ahmad Moten, Sr. combining for three sacks. DB Bryce Fitzgerald had his fourth interception and a sack. UM outgained Pitt, 416-229.

PROGRAM-RECORD 19 HURRICANES ARE ALL-ACC

• Headlined by four first team honorees, Miami set a program record with 19 all-conference players. WR Malachi Toney, DL Rueben Bain, DL Akheem Mesidor and OL Francis Mauigoa headlined Miami’s first-team selections.

• Five Hurricanes collected Second Team recognition: DL Ahmad Moten Sr., DB Keionte Scott, all-purpose standout Toney, DB Jakobe Thomas and OL Anez Cooper. QB Carson Beck, OL James Brockermeyer, LB Wesley Bissainthe, OL Markel Bell and RB Mark Fletcher Jr. were named to the All-ACC Third Team.

• LB Mo Toure, DB Zechariah Poyser, WR Keelan Marion, DB Damari Brown and DL David Blay, Jr. were honorable mention picks, making it the second straight year Miami broke its own program record for honorees.

STREAKING UM LEADS ACC IN WIN PCT. SINCE ‘24

• The Hurricanes are 20-5 since the start of the 2024 season, with none of their five losses over that stretch coming by more than six points. Miami’s 25-game stretch with no loss coming by more than six points is the second longest active nationwide (Ohio State – 29) and the longest by UM since a 40-game stretch from 1999-2002.

• Dating back to Week 11 of the 2023 season, the Hurricanes have not lost a game by more than seven points (29 straight games) – tied with Ohio State for the longest active such streak in FBS.

• UM’s .800 winning percentage since the start of 2024 is the best in the ACC, ahead of second-place SMU (.731).

MIAMI ONE OF JUST 8 WITH SAME ‘STARTING 5’ OL

• Under the watchful eye of offensive line coach Alex Mirabal, the Miami Hurricanes were one of just eight teams in all of FBS to start the same five players every game during the 2025 regular season (LT Markel Bell, LG Matt McCoy, C James Brockermeyer, RG Anez Cooper, RT Francis Mauigoa).

• The Hurricanes’ impressive group, named to the Midseason Honor Roll for the Joe Moore Award for the third straight year, have only 51 negative plays on offense this year, which is the third-lowest in Power-4 and tied for the fourth-fewest in FBS (Navy), trailing, San Jose State (45), Cincinnati (47) and Maryland (50).

• Miami ranks No. 5 in FBS (No. 1 in ACC) in tackles for loss allowed per game (3.50) and No. 8 in FBS and No. 2 in ACC in sacks allowed (0.92). Behind its powerful line, UM ranks No. 5 in FBS in time of possession (33:43).

DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT YoY AMONG FBS’ BEST

• The Hurricanes’ defense was not up to par in 2024, surrendering 25.3 points per game to rank No. 70 in FBS. Under new defensive coordinator and Broyles Award finalist Corey Hetherman, Miami ranks No. 6 in FBS and No. 1 in ACC, allowing 13.8 points per game.

• Under Hetherman, in his only year as defensive coordinator, Minnesota was No. 9 in PPG (16.9). Hetherman was one of five finalists selected for the Broyles Award, honoring the nation’s top assistant coach.

• Miami is one of 10 FBS teams that have improved their scoring defense by over 10 points per game from the 2024 season to the 2025 season (-11.5 per game) and was fourth among “power conference” teams in year-over-year improvement – joining Texas Tech (-23.9), Arizona (-12.9), Wake Forest (-11.0) and Virginia (-8.3) in top five.

“BABY JESUS” IS THE NATION’S BEST FRESHMAN

• WR Malachi Toney has served as the top-performing freshman wide receiver in the country through the first 12 games of his college career. Toney is Miami’s leader in all-purpose yards, catches, receiving & punt return yards.

• One of five finalists for the Shaun Alexander Award honoring the nation’s top freshman, Toney took home ACC Freshman of the Year and ACC Offensive Freshman of the Year honors in the league’s end-of-season awards.

• A first-team All-ACC honoree, Toney was also named to the second team as an all-purpose player. PFF named him a First-Team All-America selection, while the Associated Press tabbed Toney to its All-America Second Team.

• Toney has 84 catches – double the next highest true freshman (Andrew Marsh, Michigan, 42) – and is also 300- plus yards ahead of Brown (970 to 641) for the most receiving yards of any true freshman in FBS. He is responsible for 30.0% of UM’s total receptions this season and has compiled a whopping 1,246 all-purpose yards.

• Toney, whose nickname is “Baby Jesus,” is considered a Freshman of the Year candidate. The Liberty City native is one of three true freshmen to lead their team in receptions & yards (Marsh and Vernell Brown III of Florida).

FOUR AP T-25 WINS IS MOST BY MIAMI SINCE ‘04

• Following their 5-0 start to the season, the Hurricanes were ranked as high as No. 2 in the Associated Press top 25 released on Oct. 5. Now ranked No. 10 in both the coaches poll and in the AP rankings, UM has been included in the top 25 of both polls for the entirety of the season.

• Miami’s resume was as impressive as any team’s in the country. The Hurricanes have four AP ranked wins this year, having topped Notre Dame, USF and Florida State through in the first half of the season, all of whom were ranked in the AP poll released on Oct. 5, and topping No. 24 Pitt in its regular season finale, 38-7, at Acrisure Stadium. Prior to 2025, Miami hadn’t had four wins over AP ranked teams in the same season since 2004 (also four). With a win against Texas A&M Saturday, Miami would make it five AP Top 25 wins for the first time since 2001.

• Miami’s No. 2 ranking in the Associated Press top 25 released on Oct. 12 was tied for the highest of any Mario Cristobal-coached team in his career (earlier this year, UM also ranked No. 2); Cristobal’s previous high was No. 3 at Oregon, obtained during Week 4 of the 2021 season (#3/#3).

• With a No. 5 ranking in the Associated Press poll attained on Sept. 2, the Hurricanes made it back-to-back years to crack the top five of the AP for the first time since a six-season run from 2000-05. Miami was ranked No. 10 in both preseason polls.

• The Hurricanes opened the 2024 season at No. 19 in the poll and found their name in every top 25 ranking of the season. The Hurricanes reached as high as No. 4 (after improving to 9-0 to start the year) and ended No. 18 in the final poll, its highest final ranking since being ranked No. 13 to end 2017. Cristobal’s highest-ranked finish as a head coach came in the final 2019 polls, when Oregon was No. 5/5.

HETHERMAN’S “E.S.V” DEFENSE WREAKING HAVOC

• Mario Cristobal announced the hiring of Minnesota Golden Gophers defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman to the same post in January 2025. Hetherman arrived in Coral Gables and is a Broyles Award finalist in Year 1 at UM.

• Hetherman has made a flawless transition through the Hurricanes’ strong season. UM ranks No. 11 in total defense, allowing just 277.8 yards per game against an impressive schedule of opponents. Hetherman’s signature acronym, “E.S.V.” – has been on display all year. The acronym stands for Excitement, Swarm, Violence.

• Miami has allowed 68 “big plays” this season (29 runs of 12-or-more yards, 39 passes of 15-or-more), good for the 13th-best “big play” defensive percentage in all of FBS (9.20%). Miami’s “big play” pass percentage of 10.26% is third-best in FBS. UM is one of six teams after conference championship weekend to allow five-or-fewer plays of 40-plus yards (5) and is the only team to not allow a touchdown of 40 yards or longer – either passing or rushing.

• In a measurement of “defensive mayhem” – which charts the percentage of plays where a defense forces the opposition into either a sack, tackle for loss, interception or a fumble that is recovered by the defense – the Hurricanes rank No. 8 in FBS, posting a percentage of 13.40%. UM’s 1.13 points-per-drive average is No. 7 in FBS.

1ST-TEAM ALL-ACC PAIRING IS FBS’ TOP EDGE DUO

• Miami’s defensive end tandem of Rueben Bain, Jr., and Akheem Mesidor have been the top defensive end tandem in the country through conference championship weekend, and both were named to the All-ACC First Team.

• Among 250 defensive ends across Power-4, Bain is the No. 2 overall edge player by Pro Football Focus (92.7), while Mesidor ranks fifth (92.1). Both are considered among the top edge rush prospects for the 2026 NFL Draft.

• In PFF’s “run defense” grades among Power-4 players, Bain is fifth (87.4) while Mesidor is second (90.7). Bain is sixth by PFF in Power-4 “pass rush” (91.9) while Mesidor is eighth (90.9). Bain is sixth in FBS in pressures (58).

BECK ONE OF TWO ACTIVE QBs TO TOP 10K MARK

• QB Carson Beck surpassed 10,000 career passing yards in UM’s win over Syracuse. Of the 63 quarterbacks to reach the 10,000 mark this century for power conference teams, Beck’s completion percentage is among the best.

• Beck’s 69.9 completion percentage on the journey past 10,000 trails only one players from power conferences: Colt McCoy (70.3%); he is ahead of Graham Harrell (69.8%), Will Rogers (69.5%) and Brandon Weeden (69.5%).

FOLLOW THE BLUEPRINT: CANES ARE ON THE RISE

• Miami reached a number of notable milestones in 2024, its third season under Mario Cristobal. The Hurricanes managed only the second 10-win season in the last 20 years at Miami (2017), finished undefeated at home for the first time since 2002 and ended the season inside the Associated Press Top 20 at No. 18 – only its second finish that high since 2005. UM went from five wins (2022, 5-7) to seven (2023, 7-6) to 10 (2024, 10-3) under Cristobal.

• Miami added to that trajectory in 2025; the Hurricanes posted their second straight 10-win season – marking the first such back-to-back stretch for Miami since 2002/2003 – and earned their first College Football Playoff berth.

• The Hurricanes had 10 NFL Combine invites and its seven NFL Draft picks ranked sixth-most nationally. The Hurricanes had just one NFL Draft pick in the draft prior to Cristobal taking the helm, in 2022 – and it came in the seventh round (Jon Ford, Green Bay Packers).

• QB Cam Ward, the winner of the Davey O’Brien Award and Manning Award as the nation’s top quarterback, was selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Tennessee Titans – it was the third No. 1 overall pick in program history.

TRENCH MONSTERS REWARDED FOR BELIEF IN UM

• Miami’s tandem of Rueben Bain, Jr., and Francis Mauigoa – considered five-star talents out of high school – signed with Miami following a 5-7 season in 2022. Both players were rewarded after serving as cornerstones of the program over the previous three years.

• Bain and Mauigoa – both projected to be first-round draft picks in April – earned major recognition from both the ACC and from a national perspective. All-ACC first-teamers both, Bain was named ACC Defensive Player of the Year while Mauigoa was named the winner of the Jacobs Blocking Trophy honoring the league’s top blocker. Mauigoa was the second in program history (Eric Winston, 2005) while Bain was the first such honoree.

• During the College Football Awards Show broadcast on ESPN on Dec. 12, Bain and Mauigoa were both selected as first-team All-Americans by Walter Camp – ensuring their names are raised to the rafters of the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility. Bain was named a finalist for the Lott Trophy, while Mauigoa is a finalist for Polynesian Player of the Year.

BECK PLAYING HIS BEST FOOTBALL IN NOVEMBER

• For the second straight year, the Miami Hurricanes added one of the top quarterbacks in the country in the January transfer window, signing QB Carson Beck after an eye-popping career at Georgia, where he finished 24-3 as a starting quarterback with the Bulldogs. He threw for 7,912 yards, 58 touchdowns and 20 interceptions at UGA.

• Beck is one of just three active FBS quarterbacks to have surpassed 10,000 career passing yards.

• In a win over No. Virginia Tech on Oct. 22, Beck threw for 320 yards and four touchdowns. The performance was Beck’s 11th career 300-yard game – he is one of just five FBS active QBs to have more than 10 such games.

• Beck currently ranks as the leader among FBS players in career passing yards (10,984), sixth in career passing efficiency (159.02) and fourth in career total offense (11,268).

• Beck broke Miami’s record for consecutive passes completed with 24 in a stretch from Nov. 15-22. In Miami’s win over the Hokies, Beck had his 17th career game with multiple passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. That is the second most among active FBS players behind Vanderbilt QB Diego Pavia (21).

• He now owns a 34-5 record as a starting quarterback at the FBS level (.871), the best of any active player with more than 15 starts. Beck went 22-for-24 (91.7) against Bethune-Cookman, marking the highest completion rate by any Miami signal caller (min. 20 attempts) over the last 30 seasons.

• Beck, who assumed starting responsibilities at Georgia in 2023 as a fourth-year redshirt sophomore, led the Bulldogs to a 13-1 record and a win in the 2023 Capital One Orange Bowl, finishing just shy of a College Football Playoff berth in the four-team field. He was a member of back-to-back national championship teams as a backup.

• In his second year as the team’s starting quarterback in 2024, Beck led Georgia to the College Football Playoff with an 11-2 record. Beck was hurt in the 2024 SEC Championship Game against Texas, which Georgia won, 22- 19. He finished 2024 with 3,485 yards, a 64.7% completion percentage, 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions.

• Beck underwent surgery to repair the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) in his right elbow after the SEC Championship Game. Though he did not throw during all of spring practice at Miami after enrolling in January while completing his rehab, he was cleared for full participation shortly thereafter and took part in all summer team activity.

FLETCHER CLIMBS RECORD BOOK, RETURNED @VT

• RB Mark Fletcher, Jr. was a key member of UM’s offensive attack through its impressive season, but did not play vs. Syracuse or NC State. He returned for the Virginia Tech win (Nov. 22), seeing significant action.

• In his last home game vs. Stanford on Oct. 25, Fletcher had the first three-touchdown game of his career in a win over the Cardinal to go along with the fifth 100-yard game of his career (and third this season).Fletcher has rushed for nine touchdowns this season, matching his amount in 2024. He’s the second UM player this century to have at least nine rushing scores in consecutive seasons, joining Mark Walton (2015-2016).

• Fletcher scored the 14th, 15th and 16th rushing touchdown of his career at Hard Rock Stadium vs. Stanford, moving him into sole possession of second-most touchdowns at the facility by a Hurricane. He trails only Duke Johnson, who had 17 career TDs at Hard Rock Stadium, where Miami moved prior to the 2008 season.

• Vs. USF, Fletcher had his second 100-yard, multi-TD game of his career against an AP ranked team (Louisville, 2023). Fletcher now has five career 100-yard games – his game USF was his first since 11/18/23 vs. Louisville.

TONEY SETS ONE MARK, CLOSING IN ON ANOTHER

• WR Malachi Toney broke the school record for receiving yards against Pitt, moving into first with 970 yards, and already had the catch record. The yards record was previously held by Ahmmon Richards (934 in 2016). Toney is one of only three true freshmen in the country to lead his team in receiving yards and receptions, and is a strong candidate for the Shaun Alexander Award as the nation’s top freshman in the country. With two more catches, he’ll break Miami’s single-season catch record (regardless of year) – 85 by Xavier Restrepo in 2023.  O-LINE NAMED JOE MOORE HONOR ROLL…AGAIN

• For the third straight year, the Miami Hurricanes’ offensive line was selected to the midseason honor roll for the Joe Moore Award, which recognizing the top performing units in the nation. Miami was one of 24 selected.

BALLHAWK FITZGERALD TIED FOR FROSH INT LEAD

• DB Bryce Fitzgerald recorded an interception for the second straight game against USF on Sept.13, picking off Byrum Brown to end what was the nation’s longest passing streak without an interception (252 straight attempts).

• Fitzgerald picked off his team-leading fourth pass against Pitt – he is tied for the freshman lead in interceptions.

THORPE SEMIFINALIST COULD RETURN FOR CFP

• Second-Team All-ACC pick DB Keionte Scott was among Miami’s most dynamic playmakers on defense this season before getting hurt vs. NC State. Miami coaches and teammates alike are hopeful for a CFP return.

CANES LEAD THE NATION IN FG PCT. SINCE 2020

• The Hurricanes have been the most accurate field-goal kicking team in the country over the last six seasons. UM has made 87.3 percent of its field goal attempts since 2020 (108/124), including a 15-for-17 showing in 2025.

DANIELS RETURNED VS. HOKIES, FULL GO FOR CFP

• The Hurricanes lost their top-six pass-catchers by receptions from a season ago, when the Hurricanes had the No. 1 offense in the country. Miami’s three starting wide receivers were all making their debuts on Aug. 31 vs. Notre Dame: transfers CJ Daniels (LSU) and Keelan Marion (BYU) as well as true freshman Malachi Toney.

• The trio combined for 14 catches totaling 157 yards and two touchdowns in Miami’s 27-24 win. Toney was targeted 10 times – more than any other player – while both he and Daniels had touchdown catches.

• Daniels is one of only two active FBS players with 2,500 receiving yards (2,825) and 25 touchdowns (28) over their careers at the FBS level. The other is Arkansas State’s Corey Rucker (3,955, 27). Daniels’ eye-popping one-handed score vs. ND was named the Crunch Time Play of the Week by the Football Writers Association (FWAA).

• Daniels ranks sixth among all FBS players with 2,830 career receiving yards. Including Daniels, there are only 10 active in FBS who have 2,500-or-more receiving yards.