COLLEGE STATION, Texas — It isn’t easy to get to the College Football Playoff. It’s even harder to stay there.

Especially when your first assignment is battling an 11-win team in their house, one of the sport’s loudest and grandest cathedrals.

But that’s when a team’s fight and resolve and response to adversity becomes even more paramount. And that’s why the Miami Hurricanes are moving on to the next round.

Riding a career day from running back Mark Fletcher, Jr., and a masterclass by their defense, the Canes defeated Texas A&M 10-3 on a windswept prairie Saturday before a crowd of 104,122 at Kyle Field.

No. 10 Miami improved to 11-2, advancing to the CFP quarterfinals to face second-seeded Ohio State on New Year’s Eve in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl. The seventh-seeded Aggies concluded their season with an 11-2 mark.

Fletcher rushed for a career-high 172 yards and Miami’s defense delivered a Herculean effort, forcing three turnovers and holding an Aggies offense that entered the game averaging 36.3 points per game to just a field goal.

Quarterback Carson Beck completed 14 of 20 passes for 103 yards and the game’s lone touchdown – an 11-yard pass to wide receiver Malachi Toney, who had five catches and a 55-yard punt return.

Safety Bryce Fitzgerald picked off two passes, including the game-sealing interception in the end zone when the Aggies were looking to drive for the tying score. Defensive end Rueben Bain had three sacks, four tackles for loss and a blocked field goal. Cornerback Keionte Scott returned to lead Miami with 10 tackles and two sacks, while safety Jakobe Thomas added nine stops. The Canes had seven sacks overall and held the Aggies to 89 rushing yards on 35 carries.

Texas A&M ran 75 plays and possessed the ball for nearly 34 minutes but never reached the end zone. Quarterback Marcel Reed completed 25 of 39 passes for 237 yards and two picks. Wide receiver Mario Craver paced the Aggies with seven catches for 92 yards. Safety Dalton Brooks had seven stops, one sack and a forced fumble.

“Just found a way to continue to keep pushing through some difficult situations,” head coach Mario Cristobal said. “The defense was off the charts the entire day. We found ourselves finally running the football and getting some chunk yardage. It took a while. We were up and down on offense. Just a great response, turned the ball over, both by the defense, getting the ball back, and the offense going right down the field and scoring.”

The Aggies got the ball to start the game and Reed twice converted third downs with his feet to push the ball past midfield. A&M lined up to go for it on 4^th and 6 from the Miami 38 but a false start pushed them back. The Aggies punted and the Canes took over at their own eight-yard line. Fletcher picked up a first down, but cornerback Will Lee broke up a third down pass and A&M got the ball back at its 38.

Reed connected with tight end Nate Boerkircher on a 19-yard gain, but two plays later Scott forced Reed to fumble on a rollout and defensive tackle Armando Blount recovered at the Miami 32. The Aggies’ defense held and wide receiver KC Concepion muffed the punt, but he pounced on the ball at the A&M 13. Miami forced a three-and-out as the first quarter came to an end.

A&M’s defense countered with its own three-and-out and on the next offensive snap Reed looked deep for Craver, who hauled in the pass for a 59-yard gain to the Canes 11. But Miami’s defense stiffened from there and the Aggies settled for a 22-yard field goal attempt by Jared Zirkel. It was blocked by Bain and the game remained scoreless.

Fletcher burst up the middle for a 17-yard gain to give the Canes some breathing room, but A&M forced yet another punt. The Aggies couldn’t move the chains, and Toney returned the ensuing punt 55 yards down the left sideline to the A&M 25. Brooks sacked Beck on 3^rd and 8 and Carter Davis pushed a 47-yard field goal attempt wide right.

The Aggies tried a fake punt on 4^th and 4 from their 46 but Tyler White’s throw was incomplete, giving Miami one last chance to put points on the board before halftime. Beck completed a 14-yard pass to wide receiver CJ Daniels and an eight-yarder to tight end Elija Lofton to give Davis another opportunity from 40 yards out. But he again pushed it right to cap a scoreless first half.

Beck hit Daniels for 15 yards on the first play of the second half and then connected with wide receiver Keelan Marion on a 20-yarder. Three plays later, Fletcher burst through a hole in the left side for a 24-yard gain down to the A&M 10-yard line. The Aggies held but Davis booted a 21-yard field goal to finally put some points on the board.

On the ensuing drive, Fitzgerald picked off Reed and raced 36 yards to the A&M 20. But Beck’s third down pass was broken up and Davis hit the left upright on a 35-yard field goal attempt.

The teams exchanged punts, and the Aggies got the ball back at their 18 before putting together their most methodical drive of the day. Reed completed three third-down passes and then connected with Craver for 12 yards to move the ball into the red zone. But Miami’s defense forced a 35-yard field goal attempt by Randy Bond. It was good and the game was knotted at 3-3 with 8:03 remaining.

Fletcher started the next drive with a 16-yard run and Beck hit Toney for 12 yards. But Brooks popped the ball loose and linebacker Daymion Sanford recovered at the Aggies 47. On 3^rd and 6 from the Miami 38, Bain dropped Reed again in the backfield to force another punt.

Miami took over at its 14-yard line and Fletcher rumbled 56 yards all the way to the A&M 30. He carried on the next four snaps, setting up 3^rd and 5 from the 11-yard line. From the shotgun, Beck dumped a shovel pass to Toney, who raced around the right side for the game’s first touchdown. The Canes led 10-3 with 1:44 on the clock.

A roughing the passer penalty on Blount moved the ball past midfield before Reed found Boerkircher for 14 yards. Running back EJ Smith moved the ball into the red zone and Reed hit Concepcion for 14 yards to set up first and goal at the five-yard line. Three plays later Fitzgerald intercepted Reed in the end zone to secure the win.