Everything Miami DB Keionte Scott, RB Mark Fletcher Jr. Said After Win Over Ohio State
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The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes defeated the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes 24-14 in the 2025 Cotton Bowl on Wednesday night to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals.
After the game, Miami defensive back Keionte Scott and running back Mark Fletcher Jr. spoke about their performances and the team’s victory.
Below is a transcript of what Scott and Fletcher Jr. said.
Q. Mark, what can you say not only about your running style and what you were able to do tonight but to give credit to that offensive line and just what they did to create those opportunities for you?
RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: Those guys up front, they're the hardest-working group, I believe, in the trenches. We know we needed to show up big in this game; but if you look at our tape, you got the tight ends doing it, and the receivers. So, they just move people out of the way, and I just choose a hole and run.
Q. Mark, for you, you fumbled the ball in that moment. Do you get a sense of deja vu, especially with what happened last week with Malachi [Toney]? But then you see the team rally around you. What are those emotions like in that point in time? And do you get a sense of deja vu in that moment?
RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: I wouldn't say deja vu. But definitely, it's football; it happens. I couldn't drop my head. There was no time for that. My teammates, even defensive players, they came up to me and they just didn't want to let me have my head down. There wasn't time for that. It's football; it happens. But it's all about how you bounce back.
Q. Keionte, the pick six, was that something that you saw on film? Was it just that Jeremiah Smith missed a block? Can you walk us through that play?
DB KEIONTE SCOTT: Yeah. It was on film for sure, but I think in the moment, with all the skill players on one side of the ball, so, obviously, knew the ball was coming in that area. And then as soon as the tight end motioned, I kind of confirmed in my head -- made up in my mind that I was going at that moment. Shot my shot, and the ball went in my hands. But that goes back to just trusting my brothers behind me, and trusting my brothers to be able to play fast. And it goes to Coach [Corey] Hetherman, too. Just allowing us to be able to play fast and play at a high level and play fast. Just because we know everybody is swarming to the ball, which is one of our principles, one of the things we stand on. So me just knowing that everybody is swarming behind me, me being able to play fast and take a shot, that's what that was.
Q. Keionte, when you made that interception, just talk to me about what was going through your mind. Did you think like, "Oh, I see nothing but synthetic turf in front of me and I'm going to score"? Not only that, at that time, it was Ohio State's biggest deficit of the season at that point. So talk about just that play, what it meant to you.
DB KEIONTE SCOTT: Yeah, I was full of emotions. I think I took a little moment to peek at the sideline and look at everybody and let them know what was going on. So that was a pretty cool moment. And then, you know, just having fun. At the end of the day, that's what this team relies on, just going out there, playing free and just having fun.
Q. Mark, did Coach Cristobal give y'all a message as far as the offense, like y'all were going to come out and punch Ohio State in the mouth and just be physical and just keep taking it to them play after play? And what was that -- I mean, could you kind of let us in on that message and how y'all executed that on the field today?
RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: Yes, sir. He definitely relayed that message that he wanted us to be the most physical team, the most violent team. And that's with anybody who we play, who we line up against, especially on the offensive side. But he was screaming that to the defense, too. And, shoot, defense played violent. We got to play violent, too. That's how we match it. Like Keionte said, we just went out there, played loose and had fun.
Q. Mark, you see Marty (CharMar Brown) out there getting those massive, massive runs towards the end of the game. Didn't touch the ball at all. And just that trust to get him the ball and allow him to do that, what was that like, especially as a running back and the rest of y'all cheering him on in the moment?
RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: Our coach had preached to us -- we had a little talk before the game, a little pregame speech. And he was saying, there's one running back out there, but there's eight of us in the room. You got eight hearts, eight souls in that backfield with you. To see my brother out there, I told him that I need you. And, shoot, he just had my back. That's what I love to see, man. I feel like we got the best running back room in the country.
Q. In this moment in Miami history, what does it mean for The U to take down the defending national champion Ohio State and just what it says about the road that you've been on all season.
DB KEIONTE SCOTT: I mean, me just getting here is something that I could just tell, when I first got here, the program was just very serious about what they were trying to get done. You could tell everybody in the room had their eyes on one goal, and that was something I was super excited to buy into. I feel like Coach Cristobal does a good job of keeping us focused and keeping us on task. We'll take 24 hours to focus on this one and continue to keep it going. But it's definitely something that we don't look past at all. We're very grateful to be in this situation but we're never satisfied.
RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: As far as me, I've been here since the start. And I just trusted his plan, trusted the vision. And he told me that we'll get this program back to national championship status, and we just continue to keep on going one game at a time.
Q. Mark, Coach talked about going to Arizona next. But just how special were these two games in Texas for you and your teammates, these two moments y'all had in Texas? You probably don't want to leave here anytime soon after the game y'all just had.
RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: Facts. It's extra special because we won, and we were 1-0. That's always the goal. Trying to go 1-0 next week as well.
Q. Mark and Keionte, did Coach show y'all the 1991 Cotton Bowl and show you the legacy that Miami is expected to dominate when you come out here?
RB MARK FLETCHER JR.: No, we just focus on the 2025 Hurricanes. That's it.
DB KEIONTE SCOTT: I watched the game before in the hotel. I watched it. Yeah, I watched it. It was fun.
