The Miami Hurricanes scratched and clawed for every inch earned in their first-round matchup against the Texas A&M Aggies. Outside of junior Mark Fletcher Jr., who rushed 17 times for 172 yards, there was no flow within the offense, especially for Carson Beck. The redshirt senior completed 14 of 20 passes for 103 yards, recording the game-winning touchdown to wide receiver Malachi Toney in the fourth quarter.
It's not his worst performance, but it was his fewest passing yards in a single game of the year. The run game was the key to winning and limiting turnovers. Also, Beck didn't appear to be rattled by the Aggies' defensive line, which led the nation in total sacks throughout the regular season, 41, alongside the Oklahoma Sooners. Even after being taken down twice, the 23-year-old still executed enough down the stretch to earn the victory.
"Obviously, an amazing feeling," Beck said postgame. "To be able to come into this environment and play against a really, really talented team with really, really good coaches. They had a good scheme, really good players, and to be able to come in here, not only come out with a win, but a playoff win on the road. It means everything to us and this team, especially me."
The star quarterback isn't new to the College Football Playoff dance, given his four-year tenure with the Georgia Bulldogs, including two National Championships. However, this is his first opportunity to leave an imprint, not just in a game, but in a historic program. Despite the gutty performance, the final result is what mattered most.
"It was that type of game today," he added. "Grind it out, play against a really physical defense. We're a really physical offense and when you're playing smash-mouth football, at the end of the day, at some point, one side is going to continue to push and it just breaks open. That's what we were able to do on that last drive and obviously, Malachi is able to make a play to get in the endzone. Defense does their job, gets the stop, and closes it out."
The Hurricanes are relying on Beck's postseason experience to lead the team to, hopefully, a National Championship run. The defense certainly was the main reason for the victory, but the offense needs to be sharper against the Ohio State Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinals on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31st, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.
If the NFL prospect manages to return to form like in the final four games of the regular season, that gives the Hurricanes more life, which will be crucial.
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