Miami defensive tackle David Blay is expected to be fully healthy for the first round College Football Playoff game against Texas A&M and that nickback Keionte Scott is progressing, but did not mention if he would be available against the Aggies.
Miami plays at Texas A&M in the first round of the College Football Playoff on December 20 at Noon Eastern Standard Time on ABC. Blay has missed the last three Miami games and Scott was out for the final two contests of the regular season due to a foot injury.
Blay has 25 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and one pass defended in nine games during the 2025 season. Blay had his best games against Florida with 6.0 tackles and a 0.5 sack and 5.0 tackles in the most recent game he played against Syracuse on November 8.
Before Scott was sidelined with the foot injury, he was named a semifinalist for the Thorpe Award, which honors the best defensive back in college football, and he was the top graded cornerback by Pro Football Focus nationally.
Mario Cristobal said they "expect" defensive tackle David Blay to be fully healthy for the Texas A&M game on Dec. 20.
— Jordan McPherson (@J_McPherson1126) December 8, 2025
He has said over the past two days that nickel corner Keionte Scott is progressing but hasn't gone as far as to say if he'll be available.
Scott has 44 tackles, is second on Miami with 10.0 TFLs and has 3.0 sacks, one interception that was returned for a touchdown, is third with five pass breakups, tied for the team lead with two pass breakups and is third with one forced fumble.
Blay and Scott both started the first nine games for Miami in 2025. Sophomore Justin Scott replaced Blay at DT and true freshman Bryce Fitzgerald was the replacement for Keionte Scott at the nickleback/linebacker hybrid position for Miami for the final three games of the regular season.
Justin Scott has 19 tackles, is fifth on Miami with 6.5 TFLs, has 1.0 sack, one pass defended and one forced fumble. Fitzgerald has 15 tackles, 1.0 TFL, one sack, 1.0 sack, is tied for the Miami lead with four interceptions and has two passes defended.
Miami should be as healthy as they have been all season. Reserve wide receiver Tony Johnson appears to be the only other key player on the injured list for Miami entering the CFP first-round game at Texas A&M. Johnson has seven receptions for 162 yards in 2025.