College Football Playoff First Round Preview by Before the Snap
Before the Snap breaks down the key matchups and storylines from the first round of the College Football Playoff.
The points were at a premium between Miami and Texas A&M, a result that will go down in College Football Playoff history.
In the first round matchup on Saturday, December 20th, the Hurricanes defeated the Aggies 10-3. Not only was this a low-scoring game, it was the lowest-scoring game ever in a College Football Playoff game. Just 13 points separate the Aggies and Hurricanes, surpassing the previous record of 30 points set in the 2017 Sugar Bowl semifinals between Alabama (24 points) and Clemson (6 points).
Miami’s winning points of 10 marks the first time a playoff game has been won by fewer than 20 points and is the lowest score by a winning team in College Football Playoff history. The previous record was 23, set by Notre Dame in last season’s Sugar Bowl quarterfinal game against Georgia.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M failed to score a touchdown in a playoff game, becoming the sixth team in CFP history to not reach the end zone. The three points are tied for the second-lowest total in a playoff game, tied with Notre Dame in the 2018 Cotton Bowl semifinals. The lowest points were shutout losses to Ohio State in the 2016 Sugar Bowl and Michigan State in the 2015 Cotton Bowl.
Lowest point total in College Football Playoff history
- 1. Texas A&M vs. Miami, 2025 1st Round: 13 (Miami 10, Texas A&M 3)
- 2. Alabama vs. Clemson, 2018 Sugar Bowl Semifinals: 30 (Alabama 24, Clemson 6)
- T-3. Alabama vs. Washington, 2016 Peach Bowl Semifinals: 31 (Alabama 24, Washington 7)
- T-3. Clemson vs. Ohio State, 2016 Fiesta Bowl Semifinals: 31 (Clemson 31, Ohio State 0)
- T-5. Alabama vs. Cincinnati, 2021 Cotton Bowl Semifinals: 33 (Alabama 27, Cincinnati 6)
- T-5. Clemson vs. Notre Dame, 2018 Cotton Bowl Semifinals: 33 (Clemson 30, Notre Dame 3)
- 7. Alabama vs. Michigan State, 2015 Cotton Bowl Semifinals: 38 (Alabama 38, Michigan State 0)
- T-8. Alabama vs. Notre Dame, 2021 Rose Bowl Semifinals: 45 (Alabama 31, Notre Dame 14)
- T-8. Penn State vs. Boise State, 2024 Fiesta Bowl Quarterfinals: 45 (Penn State 31, Boise State 14)
- T-8. Georgia vs. Michigan, 2021 Orange Bowl Semifinals: 45 (Georgia 34, Michigan 11)
Lowest scoring team in College Football Playoff history
- 1. Miami: 10 (vs. Texas A&M, 2025 1st round)
- 2. Notre Dame: 23 (vs. Georgia, 2025 Sugar Bowl Quarterfinals)
- T-3. Alabama: 24 (vs. Washington, 2016 Peach Bowl Semifinals)
- T-3. Alabama: 24 (vs. Washington, 2018 Sugar Bowl semifinal)
- 5. Alabama: 26 (vs. Georgia, 2018 National Championship)
- T-6. Alabama: 27 (vs. Cincinnati, 2021 Cotton Bowl Semifinals)
- T-6. Notre Dame: 27 (vs. Indiana, 2024 1st round)
- T-6. Michigan State: 27 (vs. Alabama, 2024 Rose Bowl Semifinals)
- T-6. Notre Dame: 27 (vs. Penn State, 2025 Orange Bowl Semifinals)
- 10. Ohio State: 28 (vs. Texas, 2025 Cotton Bowl Semifinals)
Lowest scoring in College Football Playoff game history
- T-1. Ohio State: 0 (vs. Clemson, 2016 Fiesta Bowl Semifinals)
- T-1. Michigan State: 0 (vs. Alabama, 2015 Cotton Bowl Semifinals)
- T-3. Texas A&M: 3, (vs. Miami, 2025 1st round)
- T-3. Notre Dame: 3 (vs. Clemson, 2018 Cotton Bowl Semifinals)
- T-5. Clemson: 6 (vs. Alabama, 2018 Sugar Bowl Semifinals)
- T-5. Cincinnati: 6 (vs. Alabama, 2021 Cotton Bowl Semifinals)
- T-7. TCU: 7 (vs. Georgia, 2023 National Championship)
- T-7. Washington: 7 (vs. Alabama, 2016 Peach Bowl semifinal)
- T-9. SMU: 10 (vs. Penn State, 2024 1st round)
- T-9. Georgia: 10 (vs. Notre Dame, 2025 Sugar Bowl Quarterfinals)
