ARLINGTON, Texas — Miami junior running back Mark Fletcher Jr. continued his sizzling postseason run against Ohio State and was named the J. Curtis Sanford Offensive Most Valuable Player in the 2025 College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the 90th Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic.
 
Fletcher ran for 90 yards on 19 carries and caught a nine-yard touchdown pass as the 10th-ranked Hurricanes defeated the second-ranked Buckeyes 24-14 at AT&T Stadium.
 
Fletcher had a career-high 172 yards in a CFP First Round win over Texas A&M. The junior from Fort Lauderdale, Fla. averaged 4.7 yards per carry against Ohio State. His 19-yard run with 5:56 remaining kickstarted a 10-play, 70-yard drive that ultimately led to Miami's game-clinching touchdown.
 
"Those guys up front, man, they're the hardest working group in the trenches and we know we needed them to show up big in this game," Fletcher said. "If you go look at the tape, they weren't the only ones moving people out of the way. You've got tight ends doing it, the receivers. They just move people out of the way, and I just choose a hole to run."
 
The Hurricanes finished with 153 rushing yards against what was the nation's fifth-best run defense. It was a balanced attack as Miami tallied 291 total yards, won the time of possession (33:20) and went 7-for-14 on third down against the defending national champions.
 
"We don't think we have arrived by any stretch, but we certainly think we're getting better," Miami head coach Mario Cristobal said. "When you play a team like that, that's been the No. 1 defense in the country the entire year, you have to not only hit but you got to be willing to take the hits and keep coming because that's what it's going to be."
 
Miami advances to the CFP Semifinal to face the Ole Miss-Georgia winner in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl on Thursday, Jan. 8.

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