Texas A&M vs Miami: College football playoff first round preview
Will Texas A&M’s dominant team or their inconsistent side face Miami in the playoff?
This time last year, Carson Beck had his first College Football Playoff start taken away from him due to a season-ending elbow injury in the SEC Championship game.
Fast forward a year and the veteran quarterback is set to make that long-awaited start against No. 7 Texas A&M at noon ET inside Kyle Field in College Station, Texas.
Only, it isn’t happening with the team he led to the CFP last season.
Instead, it comes with No. 10 Miami, which, just like Beck, is making its debut in college football’s biggest stage.
“It’s honestly unreal to just kind of step back and look at the whole of everything that’s happened,” Beck said in a Dec. 17 interview. “And it’s surreal to get to this point, honestly and to realize everything I’ve been through and realize the adversity that I’ve had to face and overcome.”
Beck has led the Hurricanes to a 10-2 record this season and is looking to lead the program to its first CFP win. Should Miami pull off the upset against Texas A&M, the Hurricanes will advance to the Cotton Bowl CFP quarterfinal against No. 2 Ohio State on New Year’s Eve.
Here’s a look back at why Beck transferred to Miami:
Where did Carson Beck transfer from?
Beck transferred from Georgia. He spent five seasons with the Bulldogs, with his final years coming as the starting quarterback.
Why did Carson Beck transfer to Miami?
The decision by the ex-Georgia quarterback to enter the portal was a head-scratching one to an extent, largely because he announced on Dec. 28 on his social media he was declaring for the NFL draft.
“I will forever cherish the memories that have been made,” Beck wrote in that initial NFL declaration post. “Thank you Dawg Nation for the time I’ve been here and to those who’ve supported and believed in me, thank you. It’s been an incredible journey and all these moments have ultimately led me to take the next step in my football career.”
He officially announced on Jan. 9 he was entering his name into the NCAA transfer portal. He announced his decision to return home to the state of Florida to play for the Hurricanes on Jan. 10. As noted by USA TODAY Sports’ Matt Hayes, Georgia wanted to keep Beck in Athens. One of the Bulldogs’ SEC rivals, Alabama, also showed an interest in Beck before he committed to Miami.
As for the reason behind Beck’s decision to transfer, that can likely be pointed to his season-ending elbow injury that he sustained during the SEC championship. Since he needed surgery to repair his UCL in his throwing arm, Beck wouldn’t have been able to throw during the heart of the NFL draft workout schedule with teams.
“This is my future, and I think that this decision is one of the better decisions I’ve made,” Beck said at ACC Kickoff in July. “Just trying to develop those relationships and that camaraderie, it’s just reinforced my decision in a positive way.”
Carson Beck stats
Here’s a look at Beck’s career stats at Georgia and Miami:
- 2021 (Georgia): 10 of 23 passing (43.5%) for 176 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions
- 2022 (Georgia): 26 of 35 passing (74.3%) for 310 yards with four touchdowns
- 2023 (Georgia): 302 of 417 passing (72.4%) for 3,941 yards with 24 touchdowns and six interceptions; 116 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns on 60 carries
- 2024 (Georgia): 290 of 448 passing (64.7%) for 3,485 yards with 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions; 71 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 55 carries
- 2025 (Miami): 263 of 353 passing (74.7%) for 3,072 yards with 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions; 39 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on 38 carries
