For the first time in program history, Texas A&M is headed to the College Football Playoff. After an 11-1 regular season, the Aggies enter the Playoff as the No. 7 seed, and as such, will host a first round game at Kyle Field. And in a somewhat surprising move, the opponent is not the team who was ranked No. 10 last week, Notre Dame. It’s the 10-2 Miami Hurricanes. The game will kick off at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Dec. 20, at Kyle Field, and air on ABC.
Miami famously began the season the season by taking down Notre Dame, but has been an up and down team since then. Most notably, they lost at home to Louisville and on the road at SMU, putting themselves firmly on the Playoff bubble. But winning their last four games, and making that head-to-head win over Notre Dame relevant, did just enough for the Hurricanes to become the last time in the field.
Should the Aggies advance, they would move on to the Quarterfinals and face No. 2 seed Ohio State.
For many fans, the loss in Austin on Black Friday still stings. It cost A&M a perfect regular season, a trip to the SEC Championship game for the first time, and a good shot at a Playoff bye (or at worst, a first round game with a G5 opponent). But what’s done is done, and at the end of the day, A&M is still in the College Football Playoff for the first time in history – playing meaningful football in December for the first time in many Aggie fans’ lifetimes. It’s why Mike Elko was hired, and why he recently received a hefty raise/extension. It’s why Collin Klein is up for the Broyles Award and is headed back to his alma mater to be a head coach. It’s why you’re likely going to see many of these A&M players selected in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Here’s hoping the Texas game was more of an aberration than a trend, and that we’re back here on Dec. 21 talking about who we’re gonna play on New Year’s in the Quarterfinals.
#BTHOmiami
