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Oregon running back Jordon Davison (0) stiff arms James Madison defensive back Jacob Thomas (7) during the first half of the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoff, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in Eugene, Ore.

Lydia Ely, AP Photo

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Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. (4) gains yardage against Texas A&M cornerback Dezz Ricks (2) during the second half of the first round of the NCAA College Football Playoff, Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, in College Station, Texas.

Karen Warren, AP Photo

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COLLEGE STATION, Texas — 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 second-seeded Ohio State on Dec. 31.

Miami has won five straight since dropping two of three games.

“Forty-plus days ago, we were lower than low and found a way to just bring a different level of energy every single day and lift each other and the program up,” coach Mario Cristobal said. “And here we are with a chance to keep playing, and that’s all that matters now, 1-0.”

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.

“You saw the entire team just go right to him after the fumble,” Cristobal said. “Everybody trusts him. A lot of the reason why we are here today is his playmaking ability… they knew that there was going to be some more football to be played, and he was going to be a big part of the reason why we were going to have a chance to pull out the game.”

The Hurricanes used a suffocating defensive performance to stifle Texas A&M’s powerful offense, which entered the game averaging 36.3 points a game. They harassed Reed into a mistake-filled performance that included a first-quarter fumble along with the interceptions. They sacked him seven times and flushed him out of the pocket and forced him to try to make tough throws again and again.

He was 25 of 39 for 257 yards but was unable to get the Aggies in the end zone for the first time this season.

“We thought this season obviously could have been a lot better than what it ended at, but we’re proud of what we accomplished,” Reed said. “We’re growing.”

No. 5 Oregon 51, No. 19 James Madison 34

EUGENE, Ore. — Had the first College Football Playoff game at Autzen Stadium ended at halftime, it would have been a clinical performance by No. 5 Oregon.

Even with a lackluster second half, the Ducks breezed by No. 19 James Madison for a 51-34 win on the heels of four touchdown passes by Dante Moore, who also ran for a score.

“The whole team understands this wasn’t our best game,” Moore said. “But, at the end of the day, we won the football game.”

The Ducks (12-1) advanced to face Texas Tech in a quarterfinal game at the Orange Bowl on Jan. 1. Oregon won a playoff game for the first time since 2014, when the Ducks beat Florida State in the Rose Bowl semifinal before losing to Ohio State.

James Madison (12-2) dropped Group of Five teams to 0-4 in CFP games. No. 17 Tulane fell 41-10 at No. 6 Mississippi as well on Saturday.

Moore completed a 41-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Johnson less than two minutes into the game to give Oregon a lead it would not relinquish. Johnson hauled in Moore’s pass with his right hand, and romped into the end zone while dragging a pair of defenders.

James Madison responded with a 30-yard field goal from Morgan Suarez on its next drive, one which required 15 plays and burned 8:03. The Ducks took over from there, rattling off four straight touchdowns before the Dukes snuck in another field goal from Suarez ahead of halftime, which brought the score to 34-6.

“The first couple of drives were great,” Moore said. “We executed, we knew a lot of their defensive schemes coming into this game. (Offensive coordinator Will Stein) and the offensive crew did a great job dissecting their defense. But overall, it was a great game.”

No. 6 Ole Miss 41, No. 17 Tulane 10

OXFORD, Miss. — New Mississippi coach Pete Golding spent the last minutes of his high-stakes debut taking in the smiling faces of his players on the sideline.

“To know what they’ve been through, and know the direction that they could have gone,” Golding said, alluding to coach Lane Kiffin’s departure for LSU. “They came here for some guys that looked like they left them, and they were able to battle through that. And for them to get the outcome that they deserve was awesome.”

Trinidad Chambliss ran for two touchdowns and passed for another, and No. 6 Mississippi looked unfazed by Kiffin’s absence, beating No. 17 Tulane 41-10 on Saturday in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

“The juice was there for sure,” Chambliss said. “We executed really well.”

Next up for Golding and sixth-seeded Ole Miss: a CFP quarterfinal against No. 2 Georgia in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

Tulane (11-3) and quarterback Jake Retzlaff moved the ball effectively at times, but the Rebels — who beat the Green Wave 45-10 on Sept. 20 — remained comfortably ahead throughout. Cornerback Jaylon Braxton had an early interception, and the Rebels’ defense had multiple fumble recoveries and fourth-down stops.

Friday’s First Round Game

No. 9 Alabama 34, No. 8 Oklahoma 24

NORMAN, Okla. — Ty Simpson passed for 232 yards and two touchdowns, and No. 9 seed Alabama rallied from a 17-point deficit to beat No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24 on Friday night in the first round of the College Football Playoff.

“I just couldn’t be more proud of these guys,” Alabama coach Kalen DeBoer said. “Resiliency. It’s been kind of a theme all season long, but it showed up tonight on the road. Down 17, coming back the way we did just one score at a time — just really stayed the course.”

Alabama freshman Lotzeir Brooks, who did not score a touchdown in the regular season, scored two and had season highs of five catches and 79 yards.

It was the third meeting between the schools in 13 months. Oklahoma defeated Alabama 24-3 last November at home, then beat the Crimson Tide 23-21 last month on the road.

DeBoer claimed his first playoff victory for the Crimson Tide since arriving 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.

Oklahoma’s John Mateer passed for 307 yards and two touchdowns, but he threw a costly interception that Alabama’s Zabien Brown returned 50 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter. Deion Burks had seven catches for 107 yards and a score for the Sooners (10-3).

“It was a really good game that had some really great moments for the Sooners,” Oklahoma coach Brent Venables said. “And obviously, some really ill-timed moments as well, coaching, playing, the things that they’ve helped us be successful all year long. Tonight, when we needed it the most, we just didn’t have what it takes.”

Oklahoma’s Tate Sandell, the Lou Groza Award winner for the nation’s best kicker, tied an FBS single-season record for most made field goals of 50 or more yards with his eighth. He drilled a 51-yarder into a stiff wind to give the Sooners a 10-0 lead late in the first quarter, his 24th consecutive made field goal.

The Sooners outgained the Crimson Tide 118 yards to 12 in the opening period, and the domination continued into the second quarter. Mateer’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Sategna pushed Oklahoma’s lead to 17-0.