Indiana looks to complete their fairytale season with a National Title

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Jackson Hewitt Tax Service, Pizza X, Quarrymen Coffee Roasting Co., Ferguson Law, IU Credit Union, The Ken Nunn Law Office, MSI Security and Investigations, The Laundry Co., Anthony’s Lawncare, TRISTAR, Inc., Better Than Mama’s Bakery, Little Bloom Boutique, Hoosier Alley Entertainment and Stride Center.

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Staff report

Bloomington, Ind. – January 19, 2026

College Football Championship Preview

50 years after Indiana University’s perfect Basketball season under the leadership of late Head Coach Bobby Knight, the Hoosiers will compete again for a National Title with the chance for an undefeated record . . . however, they are playing to make history in Football, not Basketball.

Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, Florida will be the site for the 2025-26 NCAA College Football Championship between the #1 Indiana Hoosiers and the #10 Miami Hurricanes. The kick-off if scheduled for 7:30pm and the game will be televised on ESPN with local radio broadcast and the call by Don Fischer being broadcast on 105.1FM – Hoosier Country.

IU began this magical season as the losingest program in NCAA Division 1 Football, 499-719-46. They now stand 15-0, atop of the collegiate world as the #1 team in the country, one win away from earning the College Football Playoff Title.

Standing in their way of going worst to first in the one of the quickest and most extraordinary program turnarounds in history, the Miami Hurricanes. Miami is no stranger to playing for the title, playing 8 previous times in the Championship Game, winning on 5 different occasions, most recently 25 years ago.

The entire country is aware that the 2024 IU hiring of Head Coach Curt Cignetti is the reason for the 180 degree flip for the program, but few imagined to be in this position, especially this quickly!

“Well, we’re here because we prepared the right way and we have the right people in the staff and in the locker room, and we have tremendous support from our [University] President and Athletic Director and we have a great fan base,” said Coach Cignetti.

“We have a plan and a process, and we have great leadership and good players, and we’ve been very consistent in terms of our play in all three phases, so we’ve met every challenge.”

How Did They Get Here?

Miami, the ‘Cinderella’ of this year’s playoffs, came in as a 10^th seed with many pundits challenging their worthiness of getting into the 12-team slate. Their mid-season losses against Louisville and SMU in which Quarterback Carson Beck was turnover prone, deemed in the minds of plenty that the Canes were not as dominant as they appeared in the first 6 games of the year.

Once punching their post-season ticket, Miami arose from their earlier defeats, looking brilliant in their wins against Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Ole Miss. Beck has controlled the offense and the ball, while the Hurricane Defense has stepped to the table to ward off some of the best Offenses in the country.

Indiana has surprised the world, running the college football table, including key regular season wins against Oregon, Iowa, and Pitt, a Big Ten Championship win against former #1 Ohio State, and Playoff victories against Alabama and Oregon (again).

Looking as perfect as their record throughout the year, the Hoosiers have demonstrated dominance on all 3 sides of the ball. Their depth has shone in the post-season, with Quarterback Fernando Mendoza dishing out to a variety of touchdown subjects in each of the previous 2 games.

Nuts and Bolts

Similar as to what we have seen in their recent matchups, Indiana is a seven-and-a-half-point favorite, the over/under running at 47.5 total points.

The Hurricanes will officially be the Road Team for the game (as the lowed seeded team), but will be playing on their home turf, Hard Rock Stadium. Miami has not played at home since November 15^th, but has gone 5-0 since then on road or neutral sites.

Quarterback Comparison

2 Florida Quarterbacks will be battling it out on Monday evening, as Miami quarterback Carson Beck leads the Hurricanes against the 2026 Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, for Indiana. Both of them grew-up and played high school football in the state, although they have never faced each other even though their alma maters have met a few times in the state title game.

Beck has experience playing for the National Championship game; he was the back-up Quarterback for Georgia’s back-to-back title teams in 2021 & 2022. This season, he was 10^th in the nation with 3,581 total yards, tossing 29 touchdowns with 11 interceptions, earning an 81.4 Quarterback rating.

Mendoza, who transferred to Indiana this past summer from the University of California – Berkeley, has put together remarkable numbers, competitive with some of the best seasons a Quarterback earned in recent history. He threw 3,349 total yards and put the ball into the end zone a national leading 41 times, doing so with only 6 interceptions and a 90.2 Quarterback rating.

“It was great to hear Hispanic music coming off the plane. It was a great feeling, and to feel the Miami weather,” said Mendoza on his return to Miami.

“I think that I’m really looking forward to playing in Miami, especially a lot of family and people who have helped pour into myself to get myself to this point in my journey. I’m really proud of it.”

Injuries

Indiana

Stephen Daley (DL), Kellan Wyatt (DL), Amariyun Knighten (DB), Bryson Bonds (DB), Lee Beebe Jr. (RB), Andrew DePaepe (DL)

Miami

Xavier Lucas (CB) – First Half Suspension, Elija Lofton (TE), Damari Brown (DB)

Fun Facts

·       Miami Head Coach Mario Cristobol and the father pf Indiana Quarterback Fernando Mendoza (Fernando Mendoza Sr. were High School teammates, playing football for Christopher Columbus High School in Miami. “We had a great High School Football Team and Fernando Mendoza, Sr. was a great player . . . Unbelievable memories.” Said Coach Cristobol.

·       Both Head Coaches in this year’s CFP Title Game were once Offensive Assistants at Alabama previously during their careers, under former Crimson Tide Head Coach Nick Saban.

Local Interest

·       Mayor Kerry Thomson of Bloomington and Mayor Eileen Higgins of Miami congratulated each other for their participation in the CFP Title Game and agreed to friendly wager. The losing city will send the other a pie, either a ‘classic Indiana sugar cream pie’ or  a ‘Florida key lime pie’.

·       Bloomington Police Department are preparing for large crowds and increased call volume. BPD will have significant staffing increases before, during, and after the game and is working with state and local law enforcement partners to provide a safe experience for all during the event. Portions of E Kirkwood Avenue will be closed to vehicular traffic on the day of the game and rideshare services will be directed to 4th Street for drop offs and pickups.

·       Those visiting the Downtown Bloomington area on Monday should anticipate busy establishments and very cold temperatures, as the current forecast calls for lows in the single digits. Fans are advised to dress warmly and to be prepared to be outside for extended periods of time due to restaurants and bars potentially being at capacity.

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