Watch live updates and discuss the game between the No. 13 Miami Hurricanes and the No. 24 Texas A&M Aggies at College Station on Saturday (9:00 p.m., ESPN, Stream fuboTV).
Miami (2-0) enters the game having outscored its first two opponents 100-20 while Texas A&M (1-1) has outscored its opponents 45-17. Although the Aggies are coming off a 17-14 loss to Appalachian State that dropped them from No. 6 in the top-25 poll, the Aggies are favored by six points.
Both teams are expected to have noticeable changes in the game with the Hurricanes playing without a leading receiver Xavier Restrepo (leg) and the Saints going with me Max Johnson over Haynes King in the fourth.
Miami will look to continue to find success on the ground where it ranks 15th nationally with an average of 241 yards a game led by the Ole Miss transfer Henry Paris who is averaging 102.5 yards with four touchdowns and averaging 5.9 yards per carry. Thad Franklin (135 yards, 3 TDs) and Jaylan Knighton (17 yards, 0 TD) is also in the mix in the backfield.
Instead, the Aggies’ running game has slowed to start the season as Devon Achain averages 54 yards per game with two rushing scorers, but is a threat to break out at any time after rushing for over 900 yards on an SEC-best 7.0 yards per carry last season.
Miami leads the series 2-1. It’s the first time the teams have played since Miami won 41-23 in 2008, also in College Station. Miami also won in 2007, while Texas A&M won the first meeting in 1944.
Pregame
• Kickoff weather is mostly clear, 84 degrees with a 15 percent chance of rain
• Miami won the toss and layoffs
• College GameDay analysts tear down No. 13 Miami at No. 24 Texas A&M (Link)
• Receivers looking to fill the gap Xavier Restrepo out (Link)
• No. 13 Hurricanes looking to end recent woes when they travel to No. 24 Texas A&M (Link)
• The rushing attack of No. 13 Hurricanes key to success at No. 24 Texas A&M (Link)
• No. 13 Miami vs. No. 24 Texas A&M breakdowns and predictions (Link)
• A closer look at the Texas A&M player Max Johnson (Link)
• What to Watch vs. Texas A&M (Link)
• National media predict Miami-Texas A&M (Link)
• Miami-Texas A&M Top Prospect Previews (Link)
• VIDEO: Inside the New Recruiting Area at Hard Rock Stadium (Link)
• VIDEO: Immediate reaction to WR Xavier Restrepo away vs. No. 24 Texas A&M (Link)
• PODCAST: Texas A&M Game Preview (Link)
• VIDEO: Bethune-Cookman Scouting Report (Link)
1st quarter
• Texas A&M starts the first drive of the game at its own 36. The Aggies drove down the field before settling for a 26-yard field goal by Randy Bond for a 3-0 lead. Max Johnson completed 2 of 4 passes on the drive while Devon Achane had three carries for 21 yards.
• The Hurricanes are driving on their first drive and face a 2nd and 15 at the Texas A&M 21 after a false start. Henry Parrish sparked the drive with a 20-yard run down the right. Tyler Van Dyke completed 2 of 5 passes for 9 yards on the drive, which stalled at the 10. Andres Borregales converted a 28-yard field goal to cap a 12-play, 65-yard drive to tie the game at 3.
• Miami forced a punt, but Tyrique Stevenson made a costly mistake by misplaying the punt on the return and fumbling the ball. Texas A&M regained possession at the Miami 28. Achane had a 3-yard carry on the first play before reeling in a 22-yarder down the right side while enduring a facemask call. LJ Johnson ran from 1 yard out on the next play and Bond’s extra point was good for a 10-3 lead.
• Miami’s second drive started with a short run by Parrish, but CB Brian George was sacked for targeting the play. Van Dyke completed a 12-yard pass to Michael Redding III with a fumble and then a 15-yarder to Ke’Sean Smith. A drop by Parrish on 3rd-and-9 led to a 49-yard field goal attempt by Borregales that missed wide left.
• The Hurricanes force a punt and take over at their own 9 on their third possession. Johnson is 2-for-7 for 34 yards to start the game. The Hurricanes appeared to go three-and-out on the drive, but S Demani Richardson was flagged for targeting and ejected on a collision with Redding. The quarter ends with Miami trailing 10-3, but with a slight edge in total yards 92-87.
2nd trimester
• Miami has the ball on its own 32 to start the quarter and relies on the run game to get into Texas A&M territory. Van Dyke connected with Elijah Arroyo for a 29-yard pass to the 12. The drive stalled and Borregales made a 36-yard field goal. Miami still loses 10-3.
• Both teams traded turnovers on punt drives, but Texas A&M is on the move in the final minutes of the half. Aggies near midfield with 45 seconds left. Jahfari Harvey ends the drive with a sack as Miami goes into the break up 10-3.
Half time
• Texas A&M will kick off to start the second half.
• Miami outgained Texas A&M 172-149 in total yards. Both quarterbacks are off to slow starts with Van Dyke completing 6 of 16 passes for 66 yards and Johnson 6 of 15 for 63 yards.
3rd quarter
• Miami called its first timeout with 13:28 left on its first drive of the second half. Miami picks up 12 yards on its first drive before punting.
• Te’Cory Couch was beaten by Ainias Smith on an inside drive and James Williams finally found him after a 25-yard gain, but he was tackled and flagged for a personal foul. Two plays later, Johnson found Achane, who hit Waynmon Steed on a missed tackle. Williams and others also had chances, but Achane found the end zone for a 25-yard score and a 17-3 lead with 10:29 left.
• Miami’s passing game continues to struggle, but Van Dyke was able to find Will Mallory on a short pass and Mallory raced up the field for a 17-yard gain to the Texas A&M 36. Jackolby George had a 24-yard reception on 3rd and -8 down at the 10. But the three straight short drives come up empty and Borregales goes for a 22-yard field goal to cut the deficit to 17-6.
• Texas A&M moved into UM territory and would face a 4th-and-3 from the Miami 41 to start the quarter. Miami has a 250-249 edge in total yards.
4th quarter
• RT DJ Scaife exited with an injury with 13:30 left and TE Will Mallory with 12:16 left after a 21-yard gain, but Mallory returned shortly after.
• A drive that started at their own 1-yard line went 16 plays into the red zone before stalling after three straight completions that totaled just six yards. Borregales ran for his third field goal of the game, a 34-yarder to pull Miami within 17-9 with 8:32 left. Miami is 0 for 4 on touchdowns when you get into the red zone.
• Miami forces the punt and will take over at their own 22 with 7:06 left and down 17-9. Holding calls from Mallory and Zion Nelson slowed the drive, which ultimately ended in a punt. Aeneas Smith fumbled the punt but recovered to make it 7 with 3:09 left. Miami has two timeouts left and needs to make several plays down the stretch to tie the game.
• Miami punted and used its final two timeouts with 1:25 left.
• Stevenson set the mark without a return and the drive will start at their 43.
• Van Dyke threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Brashard Smith to start the drive. Two streaks of incompletion followed. After Knighton caught a 6-yard pass, Miami faced a 4th-and-4 at the Texas A&M 40. Smith ran through the sticks, was open, but dropped the ball with 30 seconds left.
• Miami lost 17-9, falling to 2-1 on the season. Texas A&M improved to 2-1.
Christopher Stock has covered the Miami Hurricanes since 2003 and can be reached by email at [email protected] and on Twitter @InsideTheU.
