Miami Hurricanes Lean on Ground Game, Defense in Historic College Football Playoff Debut
For the first time in program history, the Miami Hurricanes are in the College Football Playoff-and they’re not just happy to be here. This team didn’t stumble into the postseason.
They earned it, clawing their way through the back half of the season with a four-game win streak that turned heads and silenced doubters. Those wins didn’t just come-they came with authority, by an average margin of 27.5 points.
The offense found its rhythm, the defense held strong, and Miami looked like a team that belonged in the national conversation.
At the center of that late-season surge was quarterback Carson Beck, who played the best football of his Hurricanes career when it mattered most. Over those final four games, Beck was nearly automatic: 89 completions on 112 attempts for a scorching 79.5% completion rate, 1,125 yards, 11 touchdowns, and just one interception that had no real impact. It was the kind of stretch that can define a season-and a quarterback’s legacy.
But if you’re looking for the heartbeat of this Miami team, look no further than the ground game. Junior running back Mark Fletcher Jr. has been the engine, the tone-setter, and the closer.
He carried the ball 141 times for 685 yards and punched in 10 rushing touchdowns, plus one more through the air to close the regular season. All career highs.
All in pressure-packed moments. Fletcher didn’t just step up-he took over.
And when Fletcher missed time with injury, the Hurricanes didn’t fold. Redshirt sophomore CharMar Brown and freshman Girard Pringle Jr. filled in admirably, keeping the run game afloat and the offense balanced. That depth has made a difference, and it was on full display in Miami’s playoff opener.
The Hurricanes drew Texas A&M in the first round of the new 12-team College Football Playoff format, and it was billed as one of the most even matchups of the opening slate. It delivered. A defensive slugfest that ended 10-3, with Miami grinding out the win behind-who else-Mark Fletcher Jr.
In a game where every yard mattered, Fletcher delivered a performance for the record books. Seventeen carries. 172 yards.
A jaw-dropping 10.1 yards per carry. In a playoff game.
On the road. In windy conditions.
Against a physical Aggies defense. Fletcher didn’t just show up-he dominated, setting a new College Football Playoff record for rushing yards in a first-round game.
The signature moment? With the game tied and time winding down, Fletcher broke loose for a 56-yard run that flipped the field and flipped the script. The explosive burst set up freshman receiver Malachi Toney, who had fumbled on the previous drive, for redemption-and the game-winning touchdown.
Now, Miami turns its focus to the Cotton Bowl and a quarterfinal matchup with the Ohio State Buckeyes, one of the stingiest run defenses in the country. The Buckeyes haven’t allowed more than 166 rushing yards in a game all season, and that came in the opener against Texas. Since then, only two teams have even cracked the 100-yard mark on the ground.
That’s the challenge ahead for Miami’s offensive line and Fletcher Jr. They’ll need to win at the line of scrimmage, create just enough daylight, and let Fletcher do what he does best-punish defenses that leave a crease.
Execution will be everything. Both teams have elite talent.
Both have playoff pedigree. But it’s going to come down to who can stay disciplined, make the right reads, and capitalize on the few opportunities that arise in a game like this.
For Fletcher Jr., this is more than just another game. He’s already announced he’ll be back next season for his senior year, a move that speaks volumes about his commitment to the program.
But right now, he’s got a chance to etch his name into Miami football history. He’s been a cornerstone of this rebuild, and now he’s got the spotlight to match the work he’s put in.
The Hurricanes have come a long way. From a program on the outside looking in, to a team with a real shot at making noise on the biggest stage in college football.
Kickoff is set for New Year’s Eve at 7:30 p.m. ET in Arlington, Texas.
The Cotton Bowl. Miami vs.
Ohio State. Fletcher vs. the Buckeyes front seven.
It doesn’t get much bigger than this.