The first round of the playoffs between the Texas A&M Aggies and Miami Hurricanes did not meet expectations. Folks were expecting an offensive masterclass. Instead, we got the lowest-scoring playoff game. Following the loss, the Aggies’ head coach, Mike Elko, hopped onto the presser and admitted two reasons why the game didn’t go Texas A&M’s way.

“We lost the game at the line of scrimmage,” Mike Elko said in the post-game presser as per TexasAgs on X. “They finished with seven sacks. You can’t play playoff football and not win the line of scrimmage. We lost the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball.”

Truth be told, this has to be one of the worst playoff performances in Aggies history. The A&M failed to score a single touchdown and never truly found its footing from the get-go. Miami squeezed past Texas A&M with a 10-3 win, as the Hurricanes’ defense didn’t give Marcel Reed or the Aggies’ offense any benefit of the doubt, especially in the late plays.

First flaw: offensive line struggles

Miami’s defensive line absolutely dominated the trenches. Star defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. was a nightmare and sacked Marcel Reed seven times. The irony is that the Aggies had one of the best offensive lines in the nation heading into the game, ranked in the top three to five.

They had given up just 12 sacks during the regular season, averaging one sack per game. However, in this matchup, they allowed more than 55 percent of their regular-season sack total in a single game. Mind you, they had three weeks to prepare for this football game.

Second flaw: The run game went MIA

“We couldn’t keep them off of us or get the run game established.” Mike Elko said.

The Aggies’ run game was almost non-existent. Before this fallout, Texas A&M’s ground attack had been the backbone of its 11–1 regular season. They entered the playoffs with one of the nation’s most reliable rushing units, led by a trio of backs.

Rueben Owens II led the team during the regular season with 618 rushing yards at 5.5 yards per carry, followed by Le’Veon Moss with 389 yards and Marcel Reed with 466 yards. Truth be told, the ground game was their bread and butter. This group accounted for 17 rushing touchdowns throughout the season.

When it came time to play, they bottled it badly. The Aggies managed just 89 rushing yards, averaging only 2.5 yards per carry. Meanwhile, Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. had a career day. He ripped off a massive 56-yard run late in the fourth quarter to set up the game’s only touchdown.

In the end, Texas A&M had a chance to tie the game, driving deep into Miami territory in the last minute. With just under a minute left, Marcel Reed threw his second pick of the day in the end zone, officially ending the Aggies’ 2025 campaign.

Marcel Reed opens up about the loss while acknowledging the $77 million man

After the game, Marcel Reed met with the media and opened up about what it’s been like playing for Mike Elko: “I’ve been here from Jimbo to now Elko. It was great to see a difference in the culture and how bought in these players are. We talked about this as freshmen that we’d put this team in a position to win it all. I love this team with all my heart.”

Make no mistake, this wasn’t a stray shot at Jimbo Fisher, but Reed’s words summed up the team’s journey and the positive culture change under Mike Elko compared to the Jimbo Fisher era.

Before this hard game, Reed had an outstanding season and performed like one of the best quarterbacks in the nation. At one point, he was a Heisman favorite. However, he was shut down on the field. He finished the Miami game, completing 25 of 39 passes for 237 yards, but the two interceptions ultimately cost Texas A&M the game.

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