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The Miami Hurricanes and Indiana Hoosiers gave conflicting reasons on why Miami running back Mark Fletcher Jr. threw a punch at Indiana defensive tackle Tyrique Tucker after the conclusion of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Hard Rock Stadium Monday (January 19) night.
Hurricanes recruiting director Mike Rumph claimed that Tucker said something about Fhletcher's father, who died in 2024, prior to Fletcher taking a swing at him.
"Dude was talking about Mark’s dad who passed away last year. Mark is and always will be one of the most classy people you will meet. RIP Mr. Fletcher," Rumph wrote in a comment under CBS Sports' Instagram clip of the skirmish, though not specifying exactly when Tucker allegedly spoke about Fletcher's father.
Tucker claimed that he was trying to congratulate the Miami running back when the altercation occurred.
"I was just trying to congratulate him on the game," Tucker said via the Herald-Times. "He tried to sneak me, everybody kind of held me back. That was a cheap punch, luckily we got the win, I'm not really too worried about it. He's salty, he going home with the L."
Fletcher has not publicly addressed the situation as of Thursday (January 22) morning. ESPN's pregame broadcast included a segment showing that the running back texted his late father, "Good morning dad be with me boss man I love you," before the College Football Playoff National Championship, while sideline reporter Holly Rowe shared a post of Fletcher hugging Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
"otal class act. Mark Fletcher comes to find Fernando post game. He stood and waited a long time. Fletcher ran his heart out. I truly LOVE that kid. So excited he is back for @CanesFootball," Rowe wrote on her X account.
Fletcher led Miami with 112 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries during the 27-21 loss to Indiana Monday night. Mendoza, the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner and top projected prospect in the upcoming 2026 NFL Draft, threw for 186 yards on 16-of-27 passing and recorded a 12-yard touchdown on 4th-and-4 to extend Indiana's lead to 10 with 9:11 remaining in the fourth quarter.
Miami answered with a 22-yard touchdown pass by Carson Beck to Malachi Toney with 6:32 remaining to cut its deficit to three before Mendoza completed a 19-yard pass to Charlie Becker on 3rd & 7 to extend Indiana's ensuing drive, which was capped off by a 35-yard field goal by Nico Radicic with 1:42 remaining.
The Hoosiers never trailed in Monday's game, jumping out to a 10-0 lead in the first half and held off Miami's strong second half performance to complete a perfect 16-0 season. Indiana has experienced a program renaissance under head coach Curt Cignetti, who has gone 27-2 (17-1 Big Ten) and made the College Football Playoff during each of his first two seasons in Bloomington.
The Hoosiers defeated No. 9 Alabama, 38-3, in the College Football Playoff Quarterfinal at the Rose Bowl on January 1 and No. 5 Oregon, 56-22, in the College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Peach Bowl on January 9.