The Miami Hurricanes have a great task at hand in the Cotton Bowl quarterfinals, the Ohio State Buckeyes, but Mark Fletcher Jr. is thrilled for how far the program has come.
As the Miami Hurricanes make final preparations ahead of the Cotton Bowl quarterfinals game against the Ohio State Buckeyes, they wouldn't have this opportunity without star running back Mark Fletcher Jr. The run game has been a big piece to the team's success throughout the year, with the Miami native leading the charge. He rushed 141 times for 685 yards, recording 10 touchdowns, in 10 regular-season games. Fletcher Jr. finished with new career highs across the board.
In the first round of the College Football Playoffs, battling through playing in a hostile environment and windy conditions, the 21-year-old carried the program on his shoulders and legs. Against the Texas A&M Aggies, he rushed 17 times for 172 yards, including a 56-yard explosive play in the final drive of the game, which was the perfect setup for the game-winning touchdown by freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney.
Of course, it was impressive, but the Hurricanes will need more than just relying on Fletcher Jr. to beat the Ohio State Buckeyes, who've only allowed 100 rushing yards in a single game three times throughout the regular season. It's also a full-circle moment for him as both programs pursued the four-star recruit coming out of high school. However, Fletcher Jr. knew it was best to stay home.
"I always succeeded in South Florida," he said. "From a little kid, that's where I always played football and I love doing it. When it came down to the wire, Signing Day, I just chose to stay home because I knew that I was going to be good here regardless of how things go in my life."
Fletcher Jr. is one of the core players from Miami who helped rebuild the program to where it is now. He alluded to dealing with the "ups and downs," but loves to see what it's resulted in.
"It was a process," he added. "I'm just happy where we are now."
The Hurricanes aren't shy to challenges, and if they manage to pull off an upset against the Buckeyes, the National Championship could be within grasp. The program has completed a new turnaround compared to just a couple of years ago, but there's still more work to be done.
There's no greater opponent than the defending champions. There are tons of anticipation building up, given the history between them in the 2003 National Championship game. It's going to be an excellent matchup on New Year's Eve, Dec. 31st, at Arlington, Texas, 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time on ESPN.
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