College football's national championship for the 2025-26 season is set with Miami meeting Indiana on Jan. 19 to decide it all. The Hurricanes defeated Ole Miss 31-27 in a Fiesta Bowl thriller to clinch a spot in the national title, while Indiana dominated Oregon 56-22 in the other semifinal.
These two teams took different paths to the College Football Playoff, but both have delivered when the stage was the brightest in the 12-team field. Miami earned the last spot into the playoff as a controversial selection over Notre Dame . However, coach Mario Cristobal's team navigated a tough road trip to beat Texas A&M 10-3 in the first round, knocked off No. 2 Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl, and defeated the Rebels on Thursday night to book the program's first trip to the title game since 2002.
While Miami's path to the national championship featured three hard-fought victories, domination is the best way to sum up Indiana's playoff experience. The Hoosiers ranked as the No. 1 seed in the 12-team field after beating Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship, allowing coach Curt Cignetti's team a bye in the first round. The extra rest paid off, as Indiana crushed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl and handled the Ducks for the second time this year to reach the national championship for the first time in school history.
An intriguing subplot to this game is the actual location (Miami Gardens, Fla.). Not only will the Hurricanes play in their home stadium (Hard Rock Stadium), Heisman Trophy winner and Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza is from Miami. Also, Mendoza's father (Fernando Mendoza Sr.) and Cristobal were teammates at Miami's Christopher Columbus High School.
With over a week to analyze and breakdown the matchup, Athlon Sports will have plenty of preview articles and analysis on everything to know about the national championship between Indiana and Miami. But with the semifinals in the books, let's take an early look at what's to come on Jan. 19:
Jan 1, 2026; Pasadena, CA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) passes against the Alabama Crimson Tide in the first half of the 2026 Rose Bowl and quarterfinal game of the College Football Playoff at Rose Bowl Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn ImagesKirby Lee-Imagn Images
When:Monday, Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET
Where:Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla.
Opening Line:Indiana -7.5
Over/Under:48.5
Series History:Tied at 1-1 (last meeting in 1966)
Indiana QB Fernando MendozaDon't expect the homecoming or spotlight to slow Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The Heisman Trophy winner has been unflappable all season and continued his strong playoff by slicing Oregon's secondary for 177 yards and five touchdowns on just 17 completions. Miami's defense (No. 17 nationally in success rate) is a tough matchup, but Mendoza's ability to get the ball out quick or use his legs to create plays when necessary will be a huge asset against an active front.
Mendoza's track record of spreading the ball around in tight windows to a deep receiving corps featuring Charlie Becker, Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr., and E.J. Williams, Jr., will be a major test against a Miami secondary that was banged up in the win over Ole Miss
Don't Forget About Part I: The Indiana Rushing Attack
Mendoza commands (rightfully so) the bulk of the attention for Indiana's offense. However, the Hoosiers' rushing attack has been overlooked all season. Roman Hemby
(1,060 yards), Kaelon Black (961), and Khobie Martin (505) led Indiana to the No. 1 rushing offense in the Big Ten. The 'Canes are stingy here, holding teams to 86.5 yards a game on the ground. Outside of giving up a long touchdown run to Ole Miss running back Kewan Lacy in the Fiesta Bowl, Miami's front has suffocated opposing teams and their rushing attack in the playoff. If Indiana has success on the ground, the Hurricanes' path to a national title is very narrow.
Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal reacts after defeating the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.Sam Navarro-Imagn Images
Can Miami Dominate in the Trenches Again?Winning battles at the line of scrimmage has fueled Miami's run to the national championship game. The Hurricanes aren't a big-play rushing attack (4.3 yards per carry), but Cristobal's offensive line can wear down opposing fronts and control the tempo and pace of the game. Running back Mark Fletcher has shined in the playoff with 395 yards over three contests but faces an Indiana defense that allowed more than 100 yards on the ground in just two games this year. Also, this unit ranks No. 1 nationally with 128 tackles for a loss.
To slow Indiana's offense, Cristobal needs another clutch performance from his defensive line. The duo of Akheem Mesidor (15.5 TFL) and Rueben Bain (13 TFL) can cause a lot of havoc for Indiana's front. But as the Fiesta Bowl against Ole Miss showcased, a quick passing attack and tempo can play a role in neutralizing this front. The Hoosiers will likely deploy some of those methods, as well as using Mendoza's legs to avoid negative plays.
Don't Forget About Part II: Miami QB Carson Beck
With Miami's defense and ground game leading the way, Beck was largely a game manager in the first two rounds. However, Beck came through in the clutch against Ole Miss, leading a late scoring drive, which included his touchdown run on second-and-goal to secure the victory. The senior also made a handful of key throws throughout the game. Beck isn't putting up huge numbers each week but is also managing the game effectively and connecting on clutch passes when called upon.
Keeping receiver Malachi Toney (99 catches for 1,089 yards) in check is a must for Indiana, but Beck also has capable weapons in Keelan Marion, CJ Daniels, and tight end Elijah Lofton if the defense keys too much on the true freshman.
X-Factor: Penalties and TurnoversThese two teams are on the opposite ends in the penalty department this season. Indiana has committed only 55, while Miami is at 105 entering the national championship. With yardage and points likely at a premium, whichever team can play a clean game is going to have a huge edge.
Indiana leads the nation with a plus-21 turnover margin, while Miami isn't far behind at plus-11. Can either team find a way to generate a couple of negative plays or create turnovers to swing this matchup on the scoreboard? Or which team will play a clean game and do a better job of avoiding mistakes?
It's hard to find a weakness on Indiana's roster. Cignetti's teams are well-prepared and have a track record of not making a ton of mistakes. Miami's standout offensive line and defensive lines are likely to land a few punches in this game. However, the Hoosiers will be too much in the end, as the '25-26 season finishes with Mendoza lifting the national championship in his hometown.
Related: Fernando Mendoza's Cross-Country Journey to Heisman Candidacy at Indiana
Related: Way-Too-Early Heisman Trophy Contenders for the 2026 College Football Season
Related: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana Make Emphatic Statement vs. Oregon
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 10, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
