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Miami football team attends funeral of Mark Fletcher Jr.’s father

Published

1 month ago

November 2, 2024

Press Room

Miami football team attends funeral of Mark Fletcher Jr.’s father

(This story has been updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy.)

Miami football is playing Duke with heavy hearts today as running back Mark Fletcher Jr. mourns the death of his father.

Mark Fletcher Sr. died last week before the Hurricanes’ game against Florida State. Fletcher Jr. ran for 71 yards and a touchdown in that game, taking a knee and pointing to the sky in his honor.

“Just a shout out to my dad, paying him respect,” Fletcher Jr. said after the game. “It’s been a long time since he’d seen Hard Rock this packed. I know he would have loved this, this energy out here, all the seats was taken up. I know he would have loved it. So, I just did this for him.”

“Big Mark,” as he was known around the team, was beloved by the team. ABC sideline reporter Katie George said the entire team went to Fort Lauderdale on Saturday for his funeral.

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Tennessee vs. Miami: Game information, lineups, notes

Published

51 minutes ago

December 10, 2024

Press Room

Tennessee vs. Miami: Game information, lineups, notes

NEW YORK — Tennessee’s season ended inside Madison Square Garden less than two years ago.

The Vols return on Tuesday at the No. 1 team in college basketball, and arguably its most dominated after an 8-0 start.

TALK ABOUT IT IN THE ROCKY TOP FORUM

Tennessee plays Miami (3-6) in the Jimmy V Classic in midtown Manhattan in the middle of a three-game stretch against power conference teams.

The Vols won the first emphatically a week ago, thumping Syracuse, 96-70 in Knoxville and will play Illinois in their second true road game on Saturday.

Tennessee’s convincing start has been headlined by transfer guard Chaz Lanier, who is averaging more than 19 points per game.

Both forward Igor Milicic Jr. and Zakai Zeigler are scoring 12-plus through eight games, while Rick Barnes’ patented defense has looked the part and ranked second nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.

Much of what has carried the Vols to this point is expected again vs. a struggling Hurricanes team that has lost six straight since starting the season 3-0.

Here is everything you need to know about the match up between Tennessee and Miami.

GAME INFORMATION

Who: No. 1 Tennessee (8-0) vs. Miami (3-6)

When: Tuesday, Dec. 10 | 6:30 p.m. ET

Where: Madison Square Garden | New York City

TV: ESPN (Dan Shulman, play-by-play; Jay Bilas, analyst; Jess Sims, reporter)

Series: Fifth meeting all-time (Tennessee leads, 3-1)

KenPom projection: Tennessee 81, Miami 65

PROJECTED LINEUPS

NUMBERS EDGE

POINTS PER GAME

Tennessee 83.4

Miami 79.3

FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGE

Tennessee 52.5%

Miami 48.9%

THREE-POINT PERCENTAGE

Tennessee 37.4%

Miami 33.5%

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Revisiting Vols’ first trip to Madison Square Garden, 1969 NIT run

REBOUNDS

Tennessee 38.8

Miami 34.1

ASSISTS

Tennessee 17.6

Miami 13.3

BLOCKS

Tennessee 5.6

Miami 2.8

PREGAME NOTES

— Tennessee and Miami are meeting for the fifth time and the third at a neutral site. The two teams previously played in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Montgomery, Alabama.

— Tennessee will play inside Madison Square Garden for the 16th time and the second time in three years. The Vols played Florida Atlantic there in the Sweet 16 in 2023 and are 7-12 in games played at the Garden.

MORE FROM VOLREPORT: Tennessee takes top spot in AP Top 25

— Tennessee has dominated through its first eight games of the 2024 season. The Vols have led for nearly 304 minutes of game time in that span and have only trialed for six minutes, three seconds.

— Miami was picked to finish sixth in the ACC preseason media poll. The Hurricanes, who finished 15-17 last season, are led in scoring by guard Nijel Pack, who is averaging 14.1 points per game.

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Cam Ward ends 22-year Miami Hurricanes drought with Heisman finalist nod | Sporting News

Published

9 hours ago

December 10, 2024

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Cam Ward ends 22-year Miami Hurricanes drought with Heisman finalist nod | Sporting News

The Heisman Trophy finalists have been announced, and Miami Hurricanes quarterback Cam Ward is among the four players headed to New York. This marks a significant milestone for Miami, as Ward becomes the program’s first Heisman finalist since 2002.

Ward joins Colorado’s Travis Hunter, Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty, and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel in the race for college football’s most prestigious individual honor. The Hurricanes’ signal-caller earned his spot by leading the nation in passing touchdowns (36), ranking second in passing yards (4,123), second in points responsible for (254), and fourth in passing efficiency. Along the way, Ward shattered Miami records, surpassing Bernie Kosar’s single-season passing yards record of 3,642 set in 1984.

The news is out…@Cameron7Ward is a finalist for the @HeismanTrophy 🙌
🔗: https://t.co/cHOvAm5y4G pic.twitter.com/evruYVbm7m
— Miami Hurricanes Football (@CanesFootball) December 10, 2024
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The last time Miami had Heisman finalists was in 2002 with quarterback Ken Dorsey and running back Willis McGahee. That year, McGahee finished fourth in voting with 101 first-place votes and 660 total points, while Dorsey finished fifth with 122 first-place votes and 643 total points. Ward’s presence in New York ends a 22-year drought for the Hurricanes in the Heisman conversation.

Cam Ward is the first Heisman Finalist from Miami since Ken Dorsey and Willis McGahee 🔥 @CanesFootball pic.twitter.com/ZslvSp2VuW
— ACC Network (@accnetwork) December 10, 2024

Despite his historic season, Ward enters the ceremony as a long shot, with his odds at +50000—the lowest among the finalists, according to Rotowire. Hunter leads the pack at -4000, followed by Jeanty (+1100) and Gabriel (+40000). Ward’s odds took a hit after Miami’s late-season losses to Georgia Tech and Syracuse, which derailed their ACC Championship hopes and a potential College Football Playoff berth.

Still, Ward’s inclusion among the finalists is a testament to his outstanding individual season and a bright spot for a Miami program looking to return to national prominence.

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