Miami Star Punches Indiana Player Moments After Losing College Football Championship in Heated Confrontation

NEED TO KNOW

• Miami star Mark Fletcher Jr. was involved in an altercation with an Indiana player after the national championship game
• Fletcher threw a punch at Tyrique Tucker, who backed away from the running back
• Fletcher made time after the game to congratulate Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza

Tempers flared between two players following Indiana’s win over Miami in the national championship game.

Moments after IU clinched its first title in school history over UM — and kicking to the curb forever its reputation as the once most-losingest school in college football — Hurricanes running back Mark Fletcher Jr. was seen throwing a punch in the direction of Indiana’s Tyrique Tucker on Monday, Jan. 19.

ESPN cameras caught Fletcher lunging at Tucker, as the defensive tackle yelled and backed away from the Miami player. A Miami coach intervened before the altercation could escalate.

"I was just trying to congratulate him on the game," Tucker told 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.”

Miami's Mark Fletcher Jr. and Indiana's Tyrique Tucker had to be separated after the CFP National Championship game. pic.twitter.com/pXja5LtGt8

— ESPN (@espn) January 20, 2026

He added, "I was trying to be a good sport, some people are low, man. I didn't say nothing to him after the game. He got the L, he got to hold that."

Besides salt, there was something else in the Miami air last night — and that was the heroics of Indiana quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.

After diving into the end zone on a 4th-and-5 call and scoring a pivotal touchdown in the fourth quarter, the Miami native had a bloodied and bruised forearm to show for it after the game.

Later, the Hurricanes drew close but ultimately couldn’t score in the game’s waning minute after quarterback Carson Beck threw an interception. 

Yet Fletcher, who scored two touchdowns, made sure to congratulate Mendoza on the field following the game.

The move earned the praise of ESPN’s Holly Rowe, who witnessed the good sportsmanship.

“Total class act,” Rowe wrote on X about the junior running back. “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”

Read the original article on People