The stout Miami run defense against the elite Texas A&M offense on the ground is a critical matchup that can determine the outcome of their first-round College Football Playoff Game on Saturday in College Station.
Miami is seventh nationally, allowing 86.93 rushing yards per game, 10th with opponents averaging 2.90 yards per carry and eighth permitting eight rushing touchdowns. The Hurricanes held eight of their 12 regular-season opponents under 100 rushing yards in 2025.
Texas A&M is 25th, averaging 192.67 rushing YPG, 28th with 4.99 YPC, 31st with 28 touchdowns and 41st with 38.58 attempts per game. The Aggies have a versatile ground attack with five players rushing for over 180 yards in 2025.
Sophomore running back Rueben Owens leads Texas A&M with 112 carries for 618 yards and is third with five TDs. Sophomore quarterback Marcel Reed is dangerous on the ground. Reed is second on Texas A&M with 89 carries for 466 rushing yards and the Aggies' co-leader with six TDs.
Fans talk about the gauntlet Miami has in front of them in the #CFP. The Hurricanes are ONLY thinking about Texas A&M and trying to go 1-0 next weekend.
— Alex Donno (@AlexDonno) December 12, 2025
Miami has been in playoff mode since their loss to SMU and I like the mental edge they enter this game with. @LockedOnCanes pic.twitter.com/Ii9zyrurTv
Texas A&M has run for over 200 yards in seven games during the 2025 season. South Carolina was the only team to hold Texas A&M under 100 yards rushing this season. Texas A&M had 29 carries for 64 yards and one rushing TD against South Carolina.
South Carolina led Texas A&M 30-3 at halftime. Texas A&M had -9 rushing yards on 11 attempts in the first half versus South Carolina. That included yardage lost on two sacks. Facing the 27-point halftime deficit, Texas A&M ran 18 times for 73 yards in the second half against South Carolina.
The Aggies completed 16 passes in 20 attempts for 298 yards in the second half to complete a 31-30 comeback against South Carolina in the second half. Miami would provide a much greater challenge for Texas A&M if the Hurricanes can put the Aggies in a big deficit and make them mostly one dimensional.
Virginia Tech ran 37 times for a season-high 194 rushing yards allowed by Miami this season. Miami beat Virginia Tech 34-17 in the penultimate game of the 2025 regular season. Miami proved it can stiffle an elite rushing offense when it held Notre Dame to 93 yards on 28 carries in the season opener.
Notre Dame is 17th nationally, averaging 203.42 rushing yards per game. Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love had a season low of 10 carries for 33 yards against Miami. Love finished the 2025 season fifth nationally averaging 114.33 rushing YPG, third with 18 TDs on the ground and in the Heisman Trophy balloting.