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Why does Miami get to play at home in CFP national championship?
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- Why does Miami get to play at home in CFP national championship?
Indiana is playing Miami football in the CFP national championship game. Follow live updates here .
Trailing 27-24 with less than 30 seconds remaining in the Fiesta Bowl , Miami football capped off an impressive game-winning drive with a 3-yard rushing touchdown from Carson Beck to put the Hurricanes one win away from claiming the program's first College Football Playoff championship.
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It's the first national championship opportunity for Miami since it lost the 2003 Bowl Championship Series (BCS) title game vs. Ohio State , and would be the program's first title since it won the 2002 BCS Championship game over Nebraska .
Adding to the excitement of the moment for Miami fans is the fact the 2026 CFP Championship game is being held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida — the very same stadium in which the Hurricanes play their home games.
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The fact Miami will play at its home stadium will not affect the way the Hurricanes prepare for the game, however, per Miami coach Mario Cristobal.
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"The routine doesn't change at all. It's almost identical because you do have to check into a hotel, a specific hotel on a specific date," Cristobal said on Monday, Jan. 12 during media availability.
The No. 10-seed Hurricanes are set to go up against undefeated No. 1 Indiana, led by Miami native Fernando Mendoza , in the 2026 championship game at 7:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 19.
Here's what to know on how the Hurricanes landed a "home game" for the national championship:
Why is Miami football playing at home in national championship game?
While Miami gets a de facto home game for the 2026 CFP Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium, it is nothing more than a coincidence that happened to work out for the Hurricanes.
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The CFP announced in August 2022 that the 2026 title game would return to Miami Gardens and Hard Rock Stadium, the traditional site of the Orange Bowl, for the first time since the 2021 national championship game between Alabama and Ohio State.
"We are delighted to be returning to Miami," former CFP Executive Director Bill Hancock said in the 2022 statement. " South Florida was a great host for the 2021 national championship game despite the event having to be scaled back because of COVID-19, and we look forward to returning in 2026 with a full complement of events and activities during national championship weekend.
"The first-class stadium, convention center, hotels and supportive people in South Florida made the decision to return quite easy. The CFP national championship has become one of the most popular sporting events in the United States in a short period of time, and we look forward to a terrific celebration in Miami in 2026."
"We are truly honored that the College Football Playoff would select Miami as the site of the 2026 CFP National Championship," chair of the 2026 Host Committee Jack Seiler said in a 2022 statement. "Our region is a premier destination for major sporting events, and we are excited to have South Florida shine in the national spotlight once again.
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"Following our successful hosting of the 2021 CFP national championship through the unprecedented challenges presented by COVID-19, we immediately became focused on the next viable opportunity to once again bring college football's most prestigious event back to our community with a complete championship experience and a capacity crowd at the spectacular Hard Rock Stadium."
When asked about the opportunity to play for a national championship in Miami's home stadium, Cristobal told ESPN's Laura Rutledge following the Hurricanes' CFP Fiesta Bowl semifinal win that the program is focused on going 1-0 one more time this season.
Where does Miami football play its home games?
The Hurricanes play their home games at Hard Rock Stadium, and have done so since 2008, when the stadium was formerly known as Land Shark Stadium. Miami is currently signed to play at Hard Rock Stadium through the 2033 season.
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Hard Rock Stadium is located roughly 30 miles away from Miami's campus in Coral Gables, Florida depending on traffic.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How Miami CFP run resulted in 'home game' for national championship
