With points a premium, Miami defeated Texas A&M 10-3 in the first round of the College Football Playoff to reach the Cotton Bowl quarterfinal.

The ACC and Big 12 recorded their first victory of the CFP’s expansion era when the Hurricanes edged Texas A&M in the opening round.

Two college football legends will serve as guest pickers at Oklahoma and Texas A&M prior to their respective College Football Playoff games.

In the first meeting between Oklahoma and Alabama, Ty Simpson threw the second-most passing yards of his season at 326. That outing marked the second-most passes of any game, too (42). Despite that, Alabama lost by 23-21 and turned the ball over three times to the Sooners, gifting Oklahoma 17 of its 23 points.

Alabama and Texas A&M the only teams playing this weekend who lost their previous games, the Crimson Tide suffering a setback against Georgia in the SEC Championship while the Aggies' unblemished streak ended during rivalry weekend at Texas.

Oklahoma has reportedly taken a hit in its linebackers room for the 2026 season with a key player heading to the transfer portal.

It was the first playoff for the Crimson Tide since coach Kalen DeBoer arrived from Washington two years ago. Alabama (11-3) advanced to play No. 1 seed Indiana and Heisman Trophy winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza in a quarterfinal game at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

The matchup between Miami and A&M was the first College Football Playoff game without a score in the first half.

Ohio State and Miami are set to meet in the Cotton Bowl, a College Football Playoff quarterfinal, on New Year's Eve