The significance of Miami’s 10-3 win over Texas A&M may not be fully realized for awhile, but it eventually could shape the future of college football.
First and most obvious, the victory moves Miami to the quarterfinals of the CFP playoffs to face Ohio State on December 31. The defensive performance was one for the ages. In a game of this magnitude, it was the best performance by an ACC defense since Clemson’s 44-16 National Championship win over Alabama back in 2018. If you read the blog, you would have known this could be coming.
What is Miami’s key to beating Texas A&M?
Miami has to take the College Station crowd out of the game early. Texas A&M might be struggling a bit with its confidence. In their last 2 games against teams with a pulse, they were down 31-3 at the half to a bad South Carolina team, and lost 27-17 to a Texas team that couldn’t beat 4-8 Florida. Texas held A&M to 337 total yards, and the Canes are as good, if not better, defensively than Texas. If Miami’s All-America DE’s can contain QB Marcel Reed, I really like Miami’s chances. Remember when Miami made the country’s best RB Jeremiyah Love look average? I can see another performance like that coming.
Miami’s defensive ends Akeem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr were dominant, and what I suggested would and could happen did. The win validated Mario Cristobal’s program rebuild at Miami, and make no mistake, Miami can knock off Ohio State. When you can play defense at the level Miami can, you’re going to be in every game.
The victory will resonate beyond that.
As the SEC and Big 10 worked to monopolize the playoff, there’s only one thing leagues outside those two can counter any argument the P2 make – beat them in the playoffs. If the Big 12, ACC, and G5 can’t point to a single victory, how can you ask for any equity in a playoff format in the future? It becomes very difficult, because Clemson’s dynastic run is in the rear view mirror, and TCU’s win over Michigan was nearly 3 years ago.
Miami is the first non-ACC Big 10 SEC team in the expanded playoff format era to win a game. I think Texas Tech is more than capable of winning a game or two as well, but someone had to do it first, and the Canes did.
It wasn’t a fluke either. Miami controlled the line of scrimmage against an 11-1 SEC team on the road. Future at-large selections can’t be assumed to just go to the Big 10 or SEC. There is good, very good football played outside those leagues, and Miami proved it.
Miami broke some barriers down Saturday, and they might have a few more to break down before these playoffs are over.
