In the middle of a high-stakes National Championship, it was Mark Fletcher Jr. who reminded everyone why the Miami Hurricanes belong on this stage.
After a disastrous third-quarter blunder where Indiana’s Mikail Kamara blocked a punt, allowing Isaiah Jones to scoop it up for a touchdown, Miami found themselves staring at a 17-7 deficit and a stadium full of stunned silence.
But Fletcher didn’t let the Hurricanes wallow. Responding to the special teams nightmare, Fletcher capped off a 10-play, 81-yard drive by walking into the end zone on a three-yard “fake toss” hand-off to pull Miami back within a field goal.
Mark Fletcher Jr. WALKS into the end zone for his 2nd TD of the game
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— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 20, 2026
The sophomore running back has been the undisputed heart of the Miami offense tonight. Earlier in the third quarter, Fletcher ignited the comeback with a career-long 57-yard touchdown sprint that finally broke the Hurricanes’ scoreless drought.
As the game enters the final stretch, Fletcher has already racked up 109 yards and two scores on just 16 carries, effectively carrying the load for a Miami squad that struggled to find its footing in a record-low 10-point first half.
On the other side, the Indiana Hoosiers are feeling the pressure of their first-ever title appearance. While Fernando Mendoza has been surgical at times, completing 12-of-17 passes in the first half, the Indiana offense went cold in the third quarter, managing a measly 11 total yards. The Hoosiers’ defense remains stingy, allowing only 11.1 points per game this season, but they are finally bending under Fletcher’s physical running style.
With the score sitting at 17-14 early in the fourth quarter, the momentum has swung back toward the home-field Hurricanes. Whether the Hoosiers can recapture their “Cignetti Effect” or Fletcher continues his march toward MVP honors is anyone’s guess as we head into a photo finish at Hard Rock Stadium.
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