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

Associated Press

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Mark Fletcher Jr. never considered not playing in Miami's rivalry game against Florida State for the simple reason that his father would have wanted him out there.

And it was no coincidence that Miami's first touchdown belonged to him.

Fletcher rushed for 71 yards and a score in No. 6 Miami's 36-14 win over Florida State on Saturday night – even though his father, Mark Fletcher Sr., died earlier in the week. Fletcher knelt in the end zone at Hard Rock Stadium after the goal and pointed to the sky.

“Just a shout out to my dad, I give him respect,” Fletcher said. “It's been a long time since he's seen hard rock this full. I know he would have loved that, the energy out here, all the seats were taken. I know he would have liked it. So I just did it for him.”

“Big Mark,” as Fletcher’s father was known to everyone in the Miami program, was a regular attendee at practice. He sat in the stands at games and talked to anyone and everyone with a personality that Miami coach Mario Cristobal described as “larger” than life.

“From the top down, he has the best seat in the house going forward,” Cristobal said. “I know he’s super proud of Mark.”

Fletcher was the only running back to touch the ball for Miami on that first series, starting his night with a 13-yard rush on his first touch. His touchdown even had others on the Miami sideline pointing to the sky.

“This game was for him and his family,” Miami quarterback Cam Ward said. “What he goes through outside of football is something I wouldn’t wish on anyone. He got the game ball and he deserved it.

The presentation of the match ball then took place in the changing room. There were other worthy performances – Ward threw for 208 yards, Damien Martinez rushed for 148 yards and two scores and the defense held Florida State to 248 yards.

But teammates wanted the night to belong to Fletcher.

“It meant everything to me,” Fletcher said. “It just shows the brotherhood that we have. “I just played a good game and I'm not even the one with the best stats, but they just showed me that to show how much they supported me. I’m just grateful.”

The Hurricanes enter November undefeated for the first time since 2017, are one of four undefeated teams in Atlantic Coast Conference games – Clemson is 5-0, Miami and SMU are 4-0 and Pitt is 3-0 – and host Duke this Saturday. It will be another busy few days for Fletcher. Services for his father are scheduled for later this week.

“I’m staying strong,” Fletcher said. “I know my dad wanted me to come out here and play for him. “It's just extra motivation. I love this man so much. We will miss him very much. But I have to make sure his legacy lives on. I'm so glad I got his name. I’m so glad I got his name.”

___

Get AP Top 25 poll alerts and updates throughout the season. Sign up here. AP College Football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football