COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Malachi Toney’s tiebreaking 11-yard touchdown reception with less than two minutes left lifted No. 10 seed Miami to a 10-3 victory over No. 7 Texas A&M on Saturday in the College Football Playoff.
Mark Fletcher Jr. had a career-high 172 yards rushing to help the Hurricanes (11-2) advance to the Cotton Bowl to face No. 2 seed Ohio State on Dec. 31.
Toney’s big play came a series after what looked a devastating mistake for the freshman. Toney made a reception, but Dalton Brooks knocked the ball out and Daymion Sanford recovered it on the Texas A&M 47 with about seven minutes to go. Teammates surrounded a visibly upset Toney on the bench, encouraging him and trying to keep him positive.
He and Miami’s offense got another chance when Rueben Bain Jr. sacked Marcel Reed on two of three plays on the ensuing drive to force a punt.
A career-long 56-yard run by Fletcher on the first play of the next drive got the Hurricanes to the Texas A&M 30 with about three minutes to go. Miami used four more runs by Fletcher to get into scoring position before Toney took the short toss from Carson Beck and dashed into the end zone.
The Aggies had a chance to tie it after that but Bryce Fitzgerald intercepted Reed for the second time — this time in the end zone — to end it.
