Miami's win over Florida State was particularly emotional for RB Mark Fletcher

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. -- Mark Fletcher Jr. ne'er considered not playing successful Miami's rivalry crippled against Florida State, for nan elemental logic that his begetter would person wanted him retired there.

And it was nary mishap that Miami's opening touchdown was his.

Fletcher rushed for 71 yards and a people successful No. 6 Miami's 36-14 triumph complete Florida State connected Saturday nighttime — playing contempt nan truth that his father, Mark Fletcher Sr., died earlier successful nan week. Fletcher took a knee successful nan Hard Rock Stadium extremity area aft scoring, pointing to nan sky.

“Just a outcry retired to my dad, paying him respect,” Fletcher said. “It’s been a agelong clip since he’d seen Hard Rock this packed. I cognize he would person loved this, this power retired here, each nan seats was taken up. I cognize he would person loved it. So, I conscionable did this for him.”

“Big Mark," arsenic Fletcher's dada was known by everyone astir nan Miami program, was a regular visitant to practice. He would clasp tribunal successful nan stands astatine games, talking to anyone and everyone pinch a characteristic that Miami coach Mario Cristobal described arsenic larger than life.

“He’s sewage nan champion spot successful nan location going forward, looking from above,” Cristobal said. “I cognize he’s ace proud of Mark.”

Fletcher was nan only moving backmost to touch nan shot for Miami connected that first series, starting his nighttime pinch a 13-yard unreserved connected his first touch. His touchdown moreover had others connected nan Miami sideline pointing to nan sky.

“This crippled was for him and his family,” Miami backmost Cam Ward said. “What he’s going done extracurricular of football, I don’t wish connected nary man. He sewage nan crippled ball, and he deserves it."

That crippled shot position came successful nan locker room afterward. There were different worthy performances — Ward threw for 208 yards, Damien Martinez rushed for 148 yards and 2 scores, and nan defense held Florida State to 248 yards.

But teammates wanted nan nighttime to beryllium to Fletcher.

“It meant everything to me," Fletcher said. "It conscionable shows nan brotherhood we have. I conscionable played a bully game, and I’m not moreover nan 1 who had each nan top stats, but they conscionable showed that to me, to show really overmuch they supported me. I’m thing but appreciative.”

The Hurricanes are entering November unbeaten for nan first clip since 2017, are 1 of 4 unbeaten teams near successful Atlantic Coast Conference games — Clemson is 5-0, Miami and SMU are 4-0 and Pitt is 3-0 — and play big to Duke this Saturday. It'll beryllium different trying fewer days for Fletcher; services for his begetter are scheduled for later this week.

“I’m staying strong," Fletcher said. "I cognize my dada wanted maine to travel retired present and shot retired for him. It’s conscionable other motivation. I emotion that man truthful much. He’s going to beryllium truthful missed. But I’ve sewage to support his bequest surviving on. I’m truthful happy I sewage his name. I’m truthful happy I sewage his name.”

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