Mark Fletcher Jr. ran for a career-high 172 yards and broke off a career-long 56-yard run that set up No. 10 Miami’s game-winning touchdown in its 10-3 win over No. 7 Texas A&M on Saturday afternoon in College Station, Texas, in the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The victory for the Hurricanes (11-2) came in their CFP debut and clinched their spot vs. No. 2 Ohio State (12-1) in the quarterfinals at the Cotton Bowl at Arlington, Texas, on New Year’s Eve.
The Aggies (11-2) moved to the Miami 5-yard line on the ensuing drive before Bryce Fitzgerald came away with his second interception of Marcel Reed with 24 seconds left to clinch the victory in the lowest-scoring game in CFP history.
Hurricanes quarterback Carson Beck completed 14 of 20 passes for a season-low 103 yards and a touchdown. Texas A&M’s Reed was 25 of 39 for 237 yards and the two interceptions, also rushing for a team-high 27 yards. Mario Craver had a game-high 92 receiving yards on seven catches for the Aggies in their CFP debut.
No. 6 Ole Miss 41, No. 11 Tulane 10
Trinidad Chambliss threw for 282 yards and accounted for three touchdowns that combined with the Rebels’ strong defensive performance for a decisive win over the Green Wave in a CFP first-round game at Oxford, Miss.
Ole Miss (12-1) heads to the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1 in New Orleans to face No. 3 Georgia in the quarterfinals. It will be a rematch of the Rebels’ only loss this season — by a 43-35 score on Oct. 18 on the Bulldogs’ home field. Chambliss threw for one touchdown and had rushing scores from 4 and 8 yards. He was 23-for-29 in the air without an interception.
Tulane (11-3) played under coach Jon Sumrall in his final game before he takes over at Florida. Quarterback Jake Retzlaff was 20-for-35 passing for 306 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Shazz Preston caught five passes for 125 yards.
No. 5 Oregon 51, No. 12 James Madison 34
Dante Moore passed for four touchdowns and ran for one to help the Ducks torch the Dukes in the first round of the CFP at Eugene, Ore.
Malik Benson caught five passes for 119 yards and two touchdowns and Jeremiah McClellan and Jamari Johnson also had scoring catches for Oregon (12-1). Moore completed 19 of 27 passes for 313 yards and two interceptions as the Ducks advanced to face No. 4 seed Texas Tech (12-1) in the quarterfinals on Jan. 1 at the Orange Bowl.
Alonza Barnett III completed 23 of 48 passes for 273 yards and two touchdowns and added a rushing score for James Madison (12-2), which had an 11-game winning streak halted. The two sides combined for over 1,000 yards of offense, with Oregon edging the Dukes 514-509. JMU was hurt by 13 penalties for 113 yards.
