It was a huge relief for head coach Mario Cristobal when his side edged past the Aggies in the first round of the playoffs. However, the game also exposed several concerning issues, most notably with kicker Carter Davis, who had a night to forget. Cristobal later addressed those concerns, along with the questions surrounding Davis’ place in the team ahead of the upcoming Cotton Bowl.

After missing three field goals against the Aggies and setting an unfortunate College Football Playoff record for the most field-goal misses in a single game, Davis’ place on the team came under heavy scrutiny. Cristobal, however, shut down the speculation, confirming that Davis would remain the starting kicker for the quarterfinal matchup against Ohio State.

Cristobal explained that strong winds played a major role in the misses in his appearance on the Joe Rose Show, saying that the conditions significantly altered the ball’s trajectory. The coach emphasized that Davis, who had successfully converted 14 of his 16 field-goal attempts before the game, was more affected by the environment than by his technique.

“It looked like there was a hurricane out there,” said Cristobal.

Carter Davis missed a 47-yard field goal attempt in the second quarter, and it was visible that the wind affected the ball. Unfortunately for him, he missed another field goal from 40 yards in the next drive. The senior kicker was able to break his missing streak in the third quarter with a 21-yard field kick. However, another miss would ensue, marking a bad day for the kicker.

Despite the blemishes, the Hurricanes held onto their 10-3 lead with contributions from Davis and wide receiver Malachi Toney’s fourth-quarter touchdown, edging past Texas A&M to make it to the quarterfinals of the playoffs.

Malachi Toney could be the crucial piece in Mario Cristobal’s puzzle

In just his freshman season, Malachi Toney played a key role in helping Miami reach the quarterfinals of the playoffs. His rise this year has earned praise from both his teammates and head coach Mario Cristobal, who have repeatedly expressed their trust in him. That trust was on full display late in the fourth quarter against Texas A&M, when Toney fumbled, and the entire team immediately rallied around him.

“You saw the entire team just go right to him after the fumble. Everybody trusts him. A lot of the reason why we’re here today is because of his playmaking ability. He brings so much energy to the team. They trust him. They love him,” Cristobal said.

This season, Toney has recorded 89 receptions for 992 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. With the win over the Aggies, attention now turns to the Cotton Bowl matchup against a dangerous Ohio State side. If Toney maintains his form, he could remain a central piece of the Canes’ offense as they look to pull off an upset.