Miami Hurricanes injury updates on Moten, Frederique, Brown ahead of Fiesta Bowl
The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes could potentially be without three key defensive players — defensive tackle Ahmad Moten Sr. and cornerbacks Damari Brown and OJ Frederique — for their College Football Playoff semifinal game against the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday (7:30 p.m., ESPN).
What’s their status a few days out?
“Progressing steadily,” Hurricanes coach Mario Cristobal said Sunday afternoon. “I would say day-to-day. We’ll have a better idea in the next two or three days, but we feel like they’re progressing at a pretty good rate.”
Brown and Frederique have been part of Miami’s four-player rotation at outside cornerback all season with Xavier Lucas and Ethan O’Connor. Brown did not play in either of Miami’s College Football Playoff games — the 10-3 first-round win at Texas A&M and the 24-14 upset win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Wednesday. Frederique played 41 of Miami’s 60 snaps against Ohio State before getting injured late in the third quarter. He was seen on crutches and in a boot postgame.
Moten played just 19 of 60 snaps against Ohio State after injuring his ankle. The defensive tackle appeared to be walking fine on the field at AT&T Stadium during the team’s postgame celebration.
The redshirt junior has had a breakout season despite missing two games in the regular season due to injury. Moten enters the Fiesta Bowl having already set career highs in tackles (25), tackles for loss (eight) and sacks (4.5).
This story was originally published January 3, 2026 at 3:10 PM.
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