Miami RB Mark Fletcher, Jr. got over on Ohio State for a second time in the College Football Playoff
The Hurricanes’ star running back had a record-setting run in the postseason.
The Miami Hurricanes came alive over the last two months of the season, and their bruising ground game was a big reason why the Hurricanes surged all the way to the national championship game.
Miami found its tough, physical identity again after two ACC losses in three games, and the engine that drove that return to form was running back Mark Fletcher, Jr.
Once the Hurricanes snuck into the field as the last at large team, Fletcher, Jr. exploded with huge games against Texas A&M, Ohio State, Ole Miss, and Indiana, topping 100 yards from scrimmage in each game.
And as a result, Fletcher, Jr. shattered one of the greatest records any fanbase could hope for – the College Football Playoff career rushing mark.
Miami’s Mark Fletcher, Jr. passes former Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott for most career CFP rushing yards
Per ESPN insights, Fletcher surpassed Ohio State RB Ezekiel Elliott in the third quarter of the national championship game, and he did it in the most emphatic way possible – on a long touchdown run. Fletcher, Jr. got wide on a stretch run to the right, burst through the line, and took it 57 yards for a touchdown to cut the Indiana lead to 10-7.
The run was the longest of his career, and with it, he moved past Elliott with 478 yards for the playoff.
Fletcher, Jr. started off the playoff with a 172-yard performance to carry the Hurricanes over Texas A&M in College Station. He added 90 rushing yards with 25 receiving yards and a touchdown in the Canes’ 24-14 win over the Buckeyes in the Cotton Bowl. He went for 133 yards in the Fiesta Bowl win over Ole Miss and finished with 112 yards and two rushing scores against Indiana in the championship.
For the playoff, he finished with 507 yards on 75 carries (6.8 yards per carry). Simply an incredible single-season accomplishment.
Fortunately, for Miami fans hoping to get back to the playoff and get over the hump in 2026, they’ll have Fletcher, Jr. back next season to help them get there. But regardless, his place in both the Miami Hurricanes’ and College Football Playoff histories is secure.
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