After rushing 28 times for 175 yards in the first round of the College Football Playoff against Texas A&M, Miami will play against the best run defense it has faced to this point of the season in the College Football Playoff at the quarterfinal on Wednesday night.
Ohio State is fifth nationally, allowing 84.46 rushing yards per game and sixth with opponents averaging 2.83 yards per carry. Miami is 10th nationally in Pro Football Focus run blocking grade. Healthy again, Mark Fletcher ran 17 times for a career high 172 yards against Texas A&M.
Ohio State is first nationally with an 89.9 PFF run defense grade per Dalton Wasserman. Defensive tackle Kayden McDonald is first among interior defenders with a 92.2 run defense grade and Caden Curry is sixth among edge rushers with an 86.9 run defense grade per Wasserman.
Ohio State has allowed over 100 yards rushing only three times in 2025. Texas ran 37 times for 166 yards in a 14-7 loss to Ohio State in the season opener. Michigan had 24 carries for 100 yards in a 27-9 loss to Ohio State in the final game of the regular season.
What a story Mark Fletcher is man.
— Garrett Armbrust (@4thandsaturday) December 20, 2025
Was committed to Ohio State flipped to Miami so his family can watch him. Plays for his dad and mom drives to every single game.
Best game of his career on the biggest stage.
172 rushing yards & 10.1 YPC
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Ohio State run defense versus ranked and unranked opponents
Indiana had 34 carries for 118 yards in a 13-10 win in the Big XII Championship Game. Ohio State has allowed four rushing TDs in 2025. Penn State ran for two TDs against Ohio State and Illinois and Rutgers had one each.
Texas, Michigan and Indiana ran 95 times for 384 yards for an average of 4.04 yards per carry in the only games Ohio State played against teams in the Associated Press Top 25 this season. In 10 games against unranked teams Ohio State allowed 714 rushing yards on 293 carries for 2.44 YPC and four TDs.
Setting the tone early on the ground behind the Great Wall of (Miami offensive line coach Alex) Mirabal is critical for the Hurricanes. If Miami can win the line of scrimmage, it will have a chance to beat Ohio State. Miami proved it can dominate up front in the first round against Texas A&M.