Far from a perfect game from the Canes in Round 1
Miami grabbed a 10-3 College Football Playoff win at Texas A&M Saturday, and the defense earned every headline. Carson Beck delivered the late 11-yard touchdown to Malachi Toney, Mark Fletcher Jr. ripped off 172 rushing yards, and the Hurricanes moved on.
However, Miami also left plenty on the field. The formula that beat A&M won’t hold up through the bracket, and likely doesn’t even get past Ohio State on New Year’s Eve. Here’s what Miami has to clean up.
Make routine throws look routine again
Carson Beck finished 14 of 20 for 103 yards. Miami produced only 278 total yards and 12 first downs. The Hurricanes need Beck to turn open-window completions into chains, and that didn’t happen multiple times against the Aggies. The Buckeyes will challenge every tight throw with top-end athletes, so ball placement matters as much as decision-making. When Beck leaves a ball behind a crosser or sails a throw over a head, Miami punts at best. It asks the defense to dominate in the way it had to in the First Round. Even with Texas A&M turnovers stacking up, Miami barely kept the season alive.
Call plays with a plan, not with hope
Miami converted only 3 of 12 third downs. Those numbers usually follow predictable sequencing, slow tempo, or a refusal to take free yards early in the down.
The Hurricanes had success in the run game most of the day, but often turned to shots or trick plays and abandoned that rushing success far too early. The play calling didn’t help Miami on a day the offense never got a steady offense going.
Playoff football punishes “one more drive” thinking. Miami needs to script drives that produce points, not just field position.
Cash in on chances
The Hurricanes played a scoreless first half after three missed field goal tries. Then, they watched a 3-3 game linger deep into the fourth quarter after the only turnover of the day. That survival mode can’t continue. When the defense forces punts, creates turnovers, or swings momentum with a big return, the offense must respond with points. Settling for empty possessions keeps the door open for one busted coverage, one penalty, one weird bounce to make the difference.
Miami earned the right to keep playing. Now it needs sharper passing, smarter sequencing, and scoring efficiency — because the bracket won’t hand out many 10-3 escapes.
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