3 Dangerous Miami Hurricanes for Texas A&M to Watch in College Football Playoff

After the College Football Playoff Committee released the final rankings, the Miami Hurricanes drew the Texas A&M Aggies and will try to get these three players going in the opening minutes.

Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck warms up before the game against NC State Wolfpack at Hard Rock Stadium. | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Answered prayers. 

Both Texas A&M and Miami could say that their prayers, which they threw upstairs to host a playoff game and make it into the big dance, were heard. 

After a lengthy discussion about where the Aggies and Hurricanes would get seeded in the last bracket of the year, coach Mike Elko’s program caught a break from taking on the Fighting Irish, who took them down to the wire on the road. Instead, they get an opportunity to take on coach Mario Cristobal’s roster. 

The questions surrounding the date, time, and destination for the matchup were answered, with A&M hosting at Kyle Field on Saturday, Dec. 20, at 11 a.m., in front of the 12th Man. That’s dangerous for Miami in one of the most hostile environments, but luckily, these three players are the heart and soul of Miami’s team, so A&M needs to be aware of these stars. 

Carson Beck, Quarterback

Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck (11) throws on the sidelines to keep loose during the third quarter against the Pittsburgh Panthers at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

No stranger to the SEC and unfriendly stadiums is quarterback Carson Beck, a transfer from Georgia who has been in big moments before. Never during his time in Athens, Georgia, did he make it to Kyle Field, so he might have little clue how rocking it will be for the first-ever collegiate playoff game in College Station history. 

There have been only three or four stadiums he has visited this season, and in one of them, he barely left the city with a win against Florida State and lost to SMU. Not the most popular sports venues in America, but Beck has been begging for this chance to prove he still has the goods, even though he isn’t with an SEC program. 

Going into the 2025-26 campaign, numerous outlets projected that Beck could be in the Heisman Trophy conversations, given his success with an overall 24-3 record with the Bulldogs before making the move. He led the Bulldogs to an SEC Championship and overcame an injury.

This season is different, with a new system and a new mentor, where he has passed for 3,072 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. Watch out for No. 11 on the field, who could give the Aggies defense issues. 

Mark Fletcher, Running Back

Nov 29, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Miami Hurricanes running back Mark Fletcher Jr. (4) runs the ball against Pittsburgh Panthers linebacker Braylan Lovelace (0) during the fourth quarter at Acrisure Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

A junior running back from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Mark Fletcher is a bowling ball who has been one of the most reliable players the Hurricanes have, getting the chains moving on what seems like every possession they have the ball. One of the places the Aggies are vulnerable is stopping the run game, so if he can push the accelerator and find open holes, it might be a huge morning for the elite speedster. 

This season, his best game was against No. 18 USF, where he had 16 carries for 120 yards and two touchdowns. In that game, he had a season-high 38-yard run.

The following week against Florida, the quick legs of Fletcher ran for 116 yards on 24 carries with another touchdown. The coaching staff has given him the nod to have 141 carries for 685 total yards with 10 touchdowns without earning a ticket to the ACC Championship Game. Beck uses him on occasion in the passing game, where he also has 14 receptions for 107 yards, so the A&M linebackers and secondary cannot allow any open windows for him to escape. 

Malachi Toney, Wide Receiver

Nov 15, 2025; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Hurricanes wide receiver Malachi Toney (10) carries the football for a touchdown against NC State Wolfpack during the fourth quarter at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The freshman from Miami, FL. has been an outstanding weapon for Beck and the offense, and is definitely a No. 1 wide receiver in any system. The 5-foot-11 stud is going to do everything in his power to be a downfield threat against the A&M secondary. 

When Beck releases that ball from his hands, most anyone would bet he is targeting Toney, whose longest reception this year is 61 yards, which came against Louisville. This year, Toney has had six games in which he has recorded at least 80 yards. 

Overall, the hometown kid has 84 receptions for 970 yards and seven touchdowns.  His two breakout games came in the final two regular-season games against Virginia Tech, with a career-high 146 yards and 126 yards against No. 22 Pittsburgh, where he tallied 13 receptions. He’s a player that A&M’s defense has to be cautious of, and does not want to heat up with him peaking at the right time.