Texas A&M run defense has been wildly inconsistent in 2025. The Aggies allowed over 200 yards rushing five times and held opponents under 100 yards in six games. Texas A&M is 38th nationally allowing 127.08 rushing yards per game.
Miami finished the regular season 77th nationally, averaging 150.00 rushing yards per game. The Hurricanes ran for over 200 yards twice and were held under 100 yards on the ground three times. Miami was 80t,h averaging 4.19 yards per carry.
In their preview of Miami at Texas A&M in the first round of the College Football Playoff, Pro Football Focus initially focused on the elite Miami offensive line. The 73.9 PFF run blocking grade Miami has entering the CFP is 10th nationally.
Miami is 21st with a 38.1 successful run rate. Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. is 11th nationally with a 90.0 PFF rushing grade in 2024. Per PFF, Miami runs inside zone or gap runs 78 percent of the time. Fletcher Jr. leads Miami with 141 carries, 685 yards and 10 rushing touchdowns in 2025.
Miami should have success running inside versus Texas A&M
According to PFF, Texas A&M allows 5.5 YPC, sixth worst among Power Four teams. The Aggies permit 3.9 yards after contact, fourth-worst nationally. Texas A&M is 115th nationally, permitting 5.4 YPC on inside zone or gap runs, 115th nationally per PFF.
CharMar Brown and Fletcher Jr. provide Miami with physical inside runners. True freshman Girard Pringle has provided Miami with more explosiveness over the past four games as the primary ball carrier for the Hurricanes. Pringle Jr. has 58 carries for 362 yards and leads Miami RBs, averaging 6.24 YPC.
Pringle finished the regular season with 15 carries for first downs, nine runs of 10 or more yards and three of 20 plus. One out of every 6.44 carries for Pringle Jr. had been for at least 10 yards. Big plays for Miami will be critical, taking the Texas A&M crowd of over 100,000 out of the game.
Max Chadwick of PFF stated "Texas A&M’s issues defending the run largely comes from the second and third levels of its defense. The Aggies’ linebackers and defensive backs need to bring their hard hats this week against the Hurricanes."