Texas A&M is not happy just to be here. Aggies plan to beat Miami, and win it all in their CFP debut

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Texas A&M coach Mike Elko had to take a moment to compose himself when he was asked if this season was championship or bust or if his Aggies were simply happy to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time as they prepared for Saturday’s game against Miami.

“I’m trying to be nice,” Elko said.

Then he continued.

“I don’t know that you define it that way,” he said. “We’re in year two. We’re trying to establish a championship type of program. We haven’t won a championship around here since 1939, so that’s a lot of busts if that’s the only marker. I think we’re obviously in this thing to compete for a national championship for sure. We believe... we’re one of the teams that’s capable of going out there and winning it, but I don’t know that you define seasons like that.”

Like the Aggies, the Hurricanes are in the playoff for the first time though their championship drought is much shorter than Texas A&M’s. Miami has won five national titles with the most recent one coming in 2001.

Seventh-seeded Texas A&M (11-1) knew it would get a spot in the playoff well ahead of the bracket announcement on Dec. 7 after losing its only game in the regular-season finale to rival Texas. For the Hurricanes, there was a lot more consternation, especially considering that they didn’t get a spot last season despite an identical 10-2 record.

The No. 10 seed Hurricanes got the last at-large spot over Notre Dame thanks to their 27-24 win over the Fighting Irish in the season opener.

Miami quarterback Carson Beck, who is in his first season with the team after a transfer from Georgia, said making the playoff “means everything.”

“This is what I came here for. … There’s been a lot of adversity that we’ve had to face as a team, that I’ve had to face individually. In that moment to see The U come up on the TV, I obviously was extremely excited, and ready for the opportunity,” he said. “This team is excited to compete.”

The only common opponent between these teams is the Fighting Irish, who Texas A&M beat 41-40 on Sept. 13 for Notre Dame’s only other loss this season.

The Aggies have pointed to that victory as a key moment in the season that helped build their confidence. It’s a confidence that wasn’t shaken despite the loss to Texas.

“It was a rough loss, and you hate to lose that game, but we’ve got hopefully four more games left,” right tackle Dametrious Crownover said. “We can’t afford the time to sit and sulk. We had our time off to sit and sulk about it, and now we’ve got to go win a national championship.”

The winner advances to the Cotton Bowl to play No. 2 seed Ohio State on Dec. 31.

The Hurricanes will have to buck a 20-year trend if they’re going to extend their season.

Going back to November 2005, the Hurricanes are 0-13 when they travel outside of Miami to play a team ranked 10th or better in the AP Top 25. In 10 of those games, Miami wound up losing by at least 13 points.

The Hurricanes are 1-0 against Top 10 teams this season; they beat then-No. 6 Notre Dame in Week 1 at home.

Coach Mario Cristobal called Kyle Field one of the best environments in sports and knows his team will have to be focused to deal with a crowd that's certain to exceed 100,000.

“It comes down to your preparation because at the end of the day, this is going to come down to the 22 that are on the field, that are actually executing against each other, and execution is at a premium,” he said.

Moss back?

Texas A&M star running back Le’Veon Moss has missed the last six games with an ankle injury and is listed as questionable for the game. He had 70 carries for 389 yards and six touchdowns in six games this season, highlighted by career-high 139 yards in a win over Auburn.

If he can’t go, Texas A&M will continue to rely on Rueben Owens II to power the running game. He leads the team with 618 yards rushing but has managed just 76 yards combined in his last two games.

Miami wide receiver Malachi Toney needs 30 yards to post the eighth 1,000-yard receiving season in school history. The second-team All-American as a freshman, has had 25 catches for 272 yards in his last two games alone.

Texas A&M offensive coordinator Collin Klein and defensive coordinator Jay Bateman have both taken jobs at other schools in recent weeks but will remain with the Aggies throughout their playoff run. Klein was named Kansas State’s coach following the retirement of Chris Klieman and Jay Bateman was hired as Kentucky’s defensive coordinator.

Though both men will be with the team for the postseason and Klein will continue to call plays, their successors will also be helping out after Elko filled both positions with coaches already on staff. Lyle Hemphill was promoted from associate head coach for defense to defensive coordinator and Holmon Wiggins, who was the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach, was elevated to offensive coordinator.

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AP Sports Writer Tim Reynolds contributed to this report.

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