It’s bowl season, which means we have a lot of football to watch between Dec. 13 and Jan. 19! Ohio State, Utah, Georgia Southern, Army, Texas A&M — and just about everyone in between — will take part in a total of 47 games that will ultimately conclude with the 2026 CFP National Championship.
NESN has you covered with previews for each and every game — with our next contest continuing things in the 2026 College Football Playoff:
2026 College Football Playoff First-Round Game
Matchup: Texas A&M Aggies vs. Miami Hurricanes
Date: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025
Kickoff: 12 p.m. ET
Stadium: Kyle Field — College Station, Texas
TV: ESPN, ABC
Game Overview
The 2026 College Football Playoff continues with an intriguing matchup between No. 7 Texas A&M and No. 10 Miami.
The Hurricanes essentially got in on a technicality, as they had been ranked below both No. 9 Alabama and No. 11 Notre Dame for several weeks before jumping ahead of the latter in the final week of the playoff standings. The Aggies, on the other hand, were just one win away from a perfect regular season but fell down the standings following a loss to No. 13 Texas.
Story continues below advertisement
The CFP officials signed a memorandum last spring that assures Notre Dame a playoff spot should it be ranked in the Top 12 in 2026. If that rule had been in place this season, the final at-large playoff team — Miami — automatically would have been removed from the playoff field and replaced by Notre Dame.
Team Overviews
Texas A&M Aggies
Conference: SEC
Head Coach: Mike Elko
Record: 11–1
Texas A&M boasts ranked wins over the likes of No. 8 Notre Dame (now No. 11), No. 20 LSU (now unranked) and No. 19 Missouri (now unranked), though there are still questions about the program and whether or not it’s ready to compete with the upper-echelon schools it could face later in the playoff.
Story continues below advertisement
The Aggies only have to worry about one team for now, however.
Marcel Reed has accounted for 31 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions, while wide receiver KC Concepcion, offensive lineman Ar’maj Reed-Adams, defensive lineman Cashius Howell and linebacker Taurean York were named All-SEC in 2025. Concepcion and Howell were even named AP All-Americans.
It’s clear that there’s talent on the roster, but can they put it all together?
Story continues below advertisement
Miami Hurricanes
Conference: ACC
Head Coach: Mario Cristobal
Record: 10-2
Miami found itself in the playoff despite shooting itself in the foot multiple times during the middle of the season…
The Hurricanes dropped games to unranked Louisville and SMU, though their early-season victory over Notre Dame and dismantlings of South Florida, Florida, NC State and Pittsburgh were enough for a berth into the CFP.
Story continues below advertisement
Carson Beck was the most efficient (74.7% completion percentage) quarterback in the ACC — while offensive tackle Francis Mauigoa was named a first-team All-American, and wide receiver Malachi Toney, defensive lineman Rueben Bain Jr. and defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor were named first-team All-ACC.
Players to Watch
Texas A&M
QB Marcel Reed
RB Rueben Owens
WR KC Concepcion
WR Mario Craver
OL Ar’maj Reed-Adams
LB Cashius Howell
LB Taurean York
Story continues below advertisement
Miami
QB Carson Beck
RB Mark Fletcher Jr.
WR Malachi Toney
OL Francis Mauigoa
OL Anez Cooper
DL Rueben Bain Jr.
DL Akheem Mesidor
Key Notes
Texas A&M’s Marcel Reed and Miami’s Carson Beck have the same exact touchdown-to-interception ratio (25:10).
Story continues below advertisement
No. 2 Ohio State will face the winner in the Cotton Bowl on Jan. 1.
Betting Lines
DraftKings Sportsbook: Texas A&M -3.5 | O/U 48.5
FanDuel Sportsbook: Texas A&M -3.5 | O/U 48.5
BetMGM Sportsbook: Texas A&M -3.5 | O/U 48.5
The Pick: Under 48.5
Featured image via Maria Lysaker/Imagn Images
