Andy & Ari On3 - Miami BEATS Texas A&M in the College Football Playoff | Hurricanes WIN vs Aggies INSTANT REACTION

Episode Date: December 20, 2025

Following the conclusion of the Miami-Texas A&M game, join Andy & Ari LIVE from College Station. As both teams struggled to find any points in the first half, will there be more points in the second half? Who will win this back and forth clash in Kyle Field? Will the Canes or Aggies win? Find out here as Andy & Ari break down this enticing first round College Football Playoff game. This show is presented by Modelo! Some things in life are just made for each other. Peanut Butter and jelly. Macaroni and cheese. Modelo and college football. If you’re watching this, it means you live and breathe football. All season long. You know what that makes you? A Full-Time Fan. Which means you deserve a Modelo. Because football wouldn’t be the same without you. Modelo is the official beer sponsor of The College Football Playoff. Drink responsibly. Beer imported by Crown Imports, Chicago, IL Our show is also presented by BetMGM! If you haven’t signed up for BetMGM yet, use bonus code CFB and you will get up to a $1500 First Bet Offer on your first wager with BetMGM! Here’s how it works: 1. Download the BetMGM app and sign-up using bonus code CFB.2. Deposit at least $10 and place your first wager on any game.3. You will receive up to $1500 in bonus bets if your bet loses! Just make sureyou use bonus code CFB when you sign up! Make this college football season one for the history books. Make it legendary. See BetMGM.com for Terms. 21+ only. US promotional offers not available in New York, Nevada, Ontario, or Puerto Rico. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER (Available in the US). Call 877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). Call 1-800-NEXT-STEP (AZ), 1-800-327-5050 (MA), 1-800-BETS-OFF (IA), 1-800-981-0023 (PR). First Bet Offer for new customers only. Subject to eligibility requirements. Rewards are non-withdrawable bonus bets that expire in 7 days. In partnership with Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel. Join On3 today and get one full year of access to The Athletic included! https://www.on3.com/subscribe/C Watch our show on YouTube! https://youtube.com/live/Oq5KxJiNwU8 Hosts: Andy Staples, Ari WassermanProducer: River Bailey Interested in partnering with the show? Email [e-mail] Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Welcome to an instant reaction edition of Andy Naurion 3, presented by BetMGM and our friends at Modelo. We are at Kyle Field, Ari, and Miami has just won 10 to 3 against Texas A&M. And you and I have been engaged in a heated debate about Mario Cristobal clock management, but guess what? It doesn't matter, because the canes have won. They're headed the Cotton Bowl to play Ohio State, and two of their freshmen came up huge. Malachi, Tony, with the touchdown that proved to be the game winning score. Bryce Fitzgerald with the interception that sealed

it. That was one of the most entertaining games I think I've ever covered for a variety of reasons and the ending was spectacular. I guess we don't have to unpack 25 minutes. I kept seeing people on Twitter say it stunk because they weren't scoring. I was

entertained the entire time. Yeah, because the Shannon Dawson experience was like a roller coaster of emotions and the way it ended. Obviously, you know, you score with a minute 44 left and there, A&M goes down and he's in the red zone with a minute to go. Like, it was wild. You know I am Mr. Go Down at the one, right? Yes.

I am Mr. Go Down at the one. I was not, I was fine with him scoring there with Malachi, Tony scoring at the end, because nobody could score the entire game. So you're thinking you've got the, your defense can defend the whole field. And then also, nobody's been able to kick a field goal. Carter Davis had missed two field goals already. Miami had blocked Texas A&M from that very spot in the first half where they would have been kicking from. How many attempts do you think it would take?

I haven't kicked a football in 25 years for me to figure out how to kick that. Do you think it would take 10 attempts before I got it down? Five. It's not a hard kick. And obviously you would have had the win at your back in that situation. But I'm telling you, with the lack of points, I don't have a problem with him scoring there. Yeah.

I wonder, too, like if the game would have ended differently, obviously there was an interception from deep in the red zone that basically ended the game and Mario Cristobal got to take his knees, but I would have certainly gone out of bounds there. I think that the probability of kicking a field goal as time expired from the, what, five-yard line would be a 20-yard field goal, is probably higher than getting a stop against the team that's already shown on tape against one of its better opponents on the road that it can do that. It did feel as A&M marched down the field at the end. It kept getting worse, right?

Like we were watching the end of the Notre Dame game again, the Texas A&M. of Notre Dame game. You know, and I think that maybe you could have made a case that there was a targeting there on the goal line, you know, they didn't look at it. So, you know, I don't know. We were discussing it up here. I mean, if that was first down and he threw an interception or third down, he three, it wouldn't have really mattered.

I mean, if it would have been first and goal from the two, it might have mattered. Yeah, maybe you run the ball, but you don't have timeouts. You can't run the ball there was a whole minute left. So, I mean, I don't know. No, there was not. There were like, what, 45 seconds? 30 seconds. Yeah.

I mean, I think, I don't know. You know, again, it doesn't matter. Miami ended up winning the game and you know I thought that it was a brutal way for Texas A&M season to end because they're a remarkable football team I think that did a lot of really good things this year and you know to lose your last two it just kind of makes you feel like oh man you know A&M just you know kind of let things go but I think it was an important step in the right direction I like to try to zoom out in these moments and look at the context of like hey where were you coming into the year where are you now are you in a better place I think the answer to that question is yes even though this is painful. Miami, on the other hand, going to the Cotton Bowl to face Ohio State. And that was, you know, let's not forget, Mario Cristobal is two more years into his build than Mike Elko is. So in terms of schedule, this is a really important step for Miami as well. So it was a big win for them. This is huge because at this point, okay, you're playing with House money.

You're playing the number one, well, the number two team in the country, the one we think is the most talented team in the country in Ohio State. And if you lose, there's no shame in that. But this is where Miami needs to be. This is what Mario Cristobal was building toward, and now they've won a huge game. And I was talking to Manny Navarro, our former colleague at the Athletic, who's covered Miami for a long time.

And we were trying to figure out most important Miami wins since. And I think the answer is, 2001. The national title game against Nebraska after the 2001 season. Yeah. You know, they hadn't been the same since the O2 game. And, you know, obviously a lot has changed since then,

new conference, all those different things. I mean, the game has changed entirely. Yeah. But I think that the number one thing that Miami had in terms of a battle when it comes to program build was making Miami cool again to the players that grow up around them. Because for a while there, everybody was like, why don't you keep the players that are near you home? It's the you. But like you can't live off of legacy from 20 years ago when you're recruiting 16 year olds. It just doesn't work that way.

And I think that every step you take in the right direction from a program build standpoint makes people want to play there. It makes it easier to retain the talent that's in your area. and, you know, I think that this is a huge step for them. And I think it's a big step for the ACC, too, to go on the road and beat an SEC team. Now we're two games into this playoff, Andy, and both home teams have lost. You know, I think it's a big step. Well, and neither one was a blowout. Right.

Neither one was a blowout. Both games were very exciting. Both games. The day is young. Into the fourth quarter where they were competitive. So, yeah, the day's young with the blogs. I'm trying to. We're not commenting on those yet.

But it is funny, though. people want to take their w is where they can. Yanni Morales in the chat. The SEC is an overhyped conference. They're the weakest power for a conference. Well, that's obviously, objectively not true. And people do know an SEC team also won last night, right? Well, an SEC team also had to win.

I'm not sure that's your best foot forward. They're obviously not the worst power. I am very interested to see, you know, how this all plays out in terms of, you know, the semifinals and stuff. But, you know, listen, I think that this isn't really, my takeaway to this isn't the SEC stinks. My takeaway to this is that Miami's a really good team. Yeah.

And they've got a really good line of scrimmage. And even in one of these ugly, low scoring games, like, you know, part of the reason why I was low scoring was some dysfunctional play calling and some mistakes and missed field goals. There was a ton of reasons why. But I also think that these defenses are really good. Yes. And I think Miami earned that.

So, like, I don't know. That was the thing. I noticed this early in the game because, like, okay, We were in Norman last night, and shout out to everybody else. We're the only ones who pulled off the double because we drove. Everybody else got delayed, stuck on planes. And I just wanted to take this moment, too, to thank you for taking one of the most unflattering pictures ever taken of me in the history of my life and posting it to the internet. That was great.

I want to thank you for snoring all the way while I was driving on two-hour sleep. But don't, you're welcome. Don't hold that over my head when I'm offering multiple times to do it, too. You weren't offering. You were snoring, and you had your hand down your pants. Well, you know what? I had to keep the jewels horn. It was cold in there.

You had the air blowing. It was cold outside. But like, yeah, I know. I'm happy we made it here. But, but, okay, one thing I noticed, though, so we, we watched that Alabama, Oklahoma game last night. The open field tackling in that game is not great. The open field tackling in this game was spectacular.

Like, both of these defenses are fast. They both get after you. They both can get you. Like, there were so many chances where if somebody got a little bit loose, they were going a long way. And those big plays just didn't happen because both defenses were very solid tacklers. Right. You know, and I think that the physicality will translate into the next round.

You know, I don't know if my prediction earlier in the week was whoever wins this game is going to give Ohio State all it can handle. And, you know, it's a long time. We had a question for our guy, Brad, who made a great point of, have we seen, Ohio State, we've seen them beat Texas. So we have seen them play outside of the Big Ten. We saw them play Indiana, obviously. They did not match up as well with Indiana as we thought they might. So I do think on the line of scrimmage, Miami against Ohio State is going to be a great matchup. Because here's the thing, Miami once Shannon Dawson, you mentioned their offense coordinator, Shannon Dawson, he was doing a lot of stuff, a lot of creativity trying to get the ball to Malacarton.

Look at this. When they really didn't need it. It's Cole Kublich. Celebrity sighting. Come on the camera, Cole. ESPN's Cole Kubelik, run the damn ball, correct? Hand the ball off. Yes.

I'll say this. Getting the pistol. Shannon Dawson's ending around. I told him on the field and I saw him. I said, there's no way in hell I would have called that. He said they were pinching the front. I said, I know, but Mark Fletcher had been handling duo that entire drive. It's a great call by him, but I wouldn't have called that there.

And he did not call a great game. I think he would admit that. But they ran the ball when they had too late. Yeah, 56-yard run from Mark Fletcher on duo. And then they were just running. it down their throats they were going to kick the field goal and then the end around that's it i personally think they should have come up with cool new ways to lateral the ball to malachi tony in that game they figured out about every other one of those in the first three

rube gold rube goldberg contraptions like he just want he wants malachi tony to be the punter he wants to do the holder right snap yeah it's basically three a high school football yeah just doesn't come off the field which is what what he did in in in five a or six a wherever american hair actually american heritage is probably three but but but he did that in high school. The one thing that we are losing out on here in this instant reaction is, you know, it was a wonderful game, was a really thrilling ending, but could

you have imagined these sick shit that Shannon Dossett could have drawn up if they would have gone to two point tries and overtime? Could you imagine what we could have gotten today here on this field? No, because I think they used them all during the first three course of the game. They're all gone, every single one of them. But, okay, Cole out on the back of the subway napkin?

Do you guys think Mario would have, the talk would have continued on the Passover mill that was caught in and fumbled? because you could have run clock there. Right. And you could have continued to run the football and not put the ball in the air. I'm wondering if that would have been the Mario moment of this game. Well, no, no, no.

We had this argument, and I want you to chime in on this. You're the tiebreaker. Because I am normally a go-down on the one in the game, kick the field goal. I was standing in the end zone with Jimbo Fisher and Rhett Lashley, and both said, you have to take the lead. Okay. You take the lead. I'm glad because my feeling was nobody's scoring in this game.

You have blocked a kick from that very spot on the field. in the first step. Nobody's kicking field goals. So just score. If you can get if you can go up, you go up. Okay. Because of what you just said that nobody's been moving the ball. Yeah. Nobody's scoring points. Jimbo Fisher, I respectfully disagree with your opinion on this matter. Right. Lashley, I, you agree with him though.

No, not on this specific matter. Or he's like, oh shit, there's too much brainpower here. It was just Jimbo. It could have been easy in this building to pile on. But no, he's a brilliant line too, right? What's wild is, did we just get the game we thought we were going to get last night? Yes. Yes. Yes. That's exactly right. flip the script here because I would have never thought we were getting that many points in normal.

Hey, before we head downstairs, you got any good column ideas? Like, you're kind of firing them off here? What's your takeaway? Super Mario. Oh, that's a headline, not a column. Oh, yeah. I like that. Let me get my notepad.

How about, how about does Miami have the best freshman on offense and the best freshman on defense in the country? And we saw them both make huge plays at the end. Very close. Yeah. Carson Beck's Revenge. I don't know about that. Think of a good Beck song. I don't know anything like.

It was a touchdown pass at the end of the game. The biggest Beck song was loser, so I don't think we can use that today. Beck, no longer a loser. Oh, there you go. New pollution, that doesn't work either. My penis on that one. Bye, Cole. Yeah, thank you, Cole.

By the way, this is a great time, because Miami is a Madello school, by the way. Miami fans, crack a Madello because you deserve this. Think about all the suffering you've done for the past 23 years. Like, going back to the play in the end. zone in the Fiesta Bowl against Ohio State until now. Yeah. You earned this medello. You earned it.

It will be cold. It will, when it touches your lips, it will feel amazing. It will be like kissing the most beautiful, passionate first love you've ever had. It will feel that way because you have suffered since January 2nd, 2003. And here you are. Yeah. It was pass interference, though, guys. Stop.

Please stop. We're running on, you are running on an hour and a half of sleep. But, Andy, one last thing before we go, we have to acknowledge our guy Marshall. Oh, my God. Marshall, the Texas A&M grad, who was going to the in-laws house, in-laws' Christmas dinner began at 2 p.m. central time. So if you don't, if you didn't have her clock synced, 2 p.m. Central time was about 13 minutes to go in this game, which A&M was very much in at the time.

I do not know what happened with Marshall. We've figured out that Marshall has either proposed, Marshall and his girlfriend may be expecting, depending on how things went, probably not anymore. It would be consolation more than celebration. Or he might be broken up with. Or he might have run away screaming if he got there and the TV was off and he got dirty looks when he tried to in the game. I actually think the worst outcome for him could have been they had the game on everything was great and then they lost

an excruciating fashion and then he like melted down. They might have thrown Marshall out of the house. So Marshall, when you recover from that you have to email us and let us know how today went. Sorry about the loss. But again, you know, the same thing I said last night I think I will say here, successful

seasons for both teams that played on that field down there. Yes. And I'm feeling like going to everybody love everybody mood the last two nights. But it's not, it's not that. I know, I know this is the internet and you want us to say somebody stinks. I don't think Texas A&M stinks at all. I think they had an incredible season. This is where they needed to be.

They ran up against a very good team that can give Ohio State a game. And I have no problem with that. I have no problem with anything anyone did. It was a defensive struggle. And you can say the offense is stunk. You can say, that's fine. The best teams did stink. It's a playoff game on the road at home.

And it was tied with. two minutes to go in the game, you know, and you're playing against a really good team. And I know that everybody wants to rewrite history and say Miami stinks because they lost to Louisville and all that stuff that we've been, you know, hearing all year about their, you know, not being a viable option,

even in the playoff committee selection process. But, you know, this show here never forgot that they were a pretty good team. So it was cool to see. Yeah, we might have mentioned that head-to-head when they had in the first game of the season a few times, once or twice on the air. Yeah, yeah. I mean, but like, it wasn't just that.

They're a good team. So, and they proved it, I think. I am excited for Cotton Bowl. You're going to be there on New Year's Eve. I'm going to be at the Orange Bowl to see Texas Tech against the winner of Oregon and James Madison. We will be back with you today. Don't know how many times. If Tulane and Ole Miss is fun, we'll be with you after that game. If it's not fun, we'll catch you after Oregon James Madison.

How's that sound? I think that Ole Miss scored on their first possession. So it's 7-0 already in the fun's beginning. All right. We've got to go talk to some Miami players. but it has been an absolute pleasure what a day so far what a 24 hours for us i cannot complain i had this greatest job in the world and i can not thank all of you enough for letting us do it we will talk to you again later today