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Indiana-Miami delivers eye-popping college football viewership numbers
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- Indiana-Miami delivers eye-popping college football viewership numbers
Indiana-Miami delivers eye-popping college football viewership numbers appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
The thrilling performance of Indiana and Miami in the College Football Playoff championship game delivered eye-opening viewership numbers for the sport. Indiana outlasted Miami to win the sport's national championship by a 27-21 score, and the Hoosiers finished the season with a remarkable 16-0 record.
The Hurricanes pushed Indiana and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza until the end. Indiana didn't clinch the victory until Miami QB Carson Beck 's pass was intercepted at the 6-yard line by Jamari Sharpe with 51 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter.
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The game drew 30.1 million viewers on the ESPN broadcast, with a peak viewership of 33.2 million. It was the most viewed non-NFL sports broadcast since the 2016 World Series Game 7 between the Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians (now Guardians) that saw the Cubs win their first championship in 108 yards.
It was the second-most viewed CFP title game behind Ohio State and Oregon in 2014-15. That game averaged 34.1 million viewers.
The most watched national championship game was the meeting between Texas and USC in 2006 that saw 35.6 million watch a thrilling Texas victory.
Indiana, Miami pick up the intensity in second half
The Hoosiers and Hurricanes played a relatively calm first half that saw Indiana take a 10-0 lead into the locker room after the second quarter. However, the intensity ratcheted up in the second half with both team registering huge blows and memorable touchdowns.
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Perhaps the most exciting play of the game came when Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza scored on a 12 yard TD run with slightly more than 9 minutes remaining in the 4th quarter. That play gave Indiana a 24-14 lead and put intense pressure on the Hurricanes.
While Miami would respond with a TD pass from Beck to Malachi Toney, the Hoosiers added a field goal and that was just enough of an advantage to gain their improbable national title.
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