How Ohio State would match up with Texas A&M in CFP quarterfinals
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Ohio State and Texas A&M maintained their perch in the College Football Playoff rankings throughout November.
Four straight weekly rankings by the selection committee had the Buckeyes at No. 1 with the Aggies at No. 3.
But losses changed their playoff paths.
While the Buckeyes dropped only a spot after falling to unbeaten Indiana in the Big Ten championship game on Dec. 6, the Aggies tumbled after they were upset by Texas on Black Friday.
The drop of four spots cost Texas A&M one of the four byes into the quarterfinals and opened the possibility of the teams meeting in the earlier round.
Who will Ohio State play in College Football Playoff?
The second-seeded Buckeyes could face the Aggies, who are the seventh seed if they prevail over Miami on Dec. 20.
Texas A&M has home-field advantage as it hosts the No. 10 Hurricanes in the first round at Kyle Field, where it is 12-2 over the last two seasons, including 7-0 this fall, in front of the iconic 12th Man.
How Ohio State football would match up with Texas A&M
The intrigue to this matchup begins with the coaching chess match.
Ryan Day, a renowned offensive mind, goes against Mike Elko, a former Texas A&M defensive coordinator who returned to lead the program last year.
Elko’s fingerprints permeate the defense, which wreaks havoc on opponents at the line of scrimmage.
Before the bowl season began, the Aggies’ 41 sacks were tied with Oklahoma for the most in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Their 104 tackles for loss were the third-most.
If the Buckeyes meet the Aggies, they’ll need to be better in the trenches than they were in the Big Ten championship game when they surrendered five sacks and finished with just 56 rushing yards in their loss to Indiana.
While Texas A&M’s defensive line creates plenty of pressure, it’s more vulnerable defending the run. The Aggies were one of only four SEC teams to allow more than 4 yards per carry.
Texas A&M football’s biggest strengths
The Aggies’ pass rush is led by Cashius Howell, a disruptive defensive end who began his career at Bowling Green before transferring to Texas A&M last year.
Howell was the SEC’s sack leader during the regular season, and his 11.5 sacks were the most by anyone at Texas A&M since Myles Garrett in 2014.
The other side of the line is strong as well. Texas A&M has allowed just 12 sacks, the fewest among the 16 teams in the SEC. Starting left tackle Trey Zuhn III gives quarterback Marcel Reed plenty of protection as he has surrendered just one sack this year, per Pro Football Focus.
Reed is a dual-threat who has also rushed for 466 yards and six touchdowns in addition to throwing for 2,932 yards and 29 touchdowns.
Texas A&M football’s biggest shortcomings
There are also turnover issues with Reed, whose 10 interceptions are tied with Miami’s Carson Beck and Oklahoma’s John Mateer for the most among the quarterbacks in the playoff field.
Reed had 18 turnover-worthy plays in 12 games, according to PFF, a total that was the second-most among SEC quarterbacks.
It nearly cost them in an upset scare against South Carolina last month when Reed threw two interceptions and had a fumbled returned for a touchdown as the Aggies fell behind 30-3 before halftime.
The Buckeyes haven’t forced a ton of turnovers this year. Their 14 takeaways were 79th in the FBS, but they could have opportunity here.
Ohio State vs. Texas A&M history
It’s been decades since the Buckeyes last faced the Aggies.
They met in bowl games late in the tenures of former coaches John Cooper and Earle Bruce. Ohio State won both the 1999 Sugar Bowl and 1987 Cotton Bowl.
Previous games in the regular season also went in favor of the Buckeyes in 1970 and 1963. Ohio State is 4-0 all-time in the series.
When does Ohio State play next?
The Buckeyes’ quarterfinal is scheduled for Dec. 31 at the Cotton Bowl, which is held at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
College Football Playoff schedule 2025-26
- First round: Dec. 19 and 20
- Quarterfinals: Dec. 31 and Jan. 1
- Semifinals: Jan. 8 and 9
- National championship: Jan. 19
Joey Kaufman covers Ohio State football for The Columbus Dispatch. Email him at jkaufman@dispatch.com and follow along on Bluesky, Instagram and X for more.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Who does Ohio State play next in CFP? Scouting possible Texas A&M game
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