Key Takeaways
- Indiana wins the College Football Playoff championship game with a 27-21 victory over Miami
- Fernando Mendoza delivers clutch plays on two Indiana scoring drives to secure the win
- The Hoosiers complete a stunning turnaround under second-year coach Curt Cignetti, going from one of the weakest programs to the best team in the sport
- Indiana finishes the season with a 16-0 record, becoming the first national champion since Yale in 1894 to achieve a perfect season
- The game sees a frenzied pace in the final quarter, with both teams exchanging scores and Indiana ultimately emerging victorious
Introduction to the Game
The College Football Playoff championship game took place on January 19, 2026, at Miami Gardens, Florida, where the No. 1 seed Indiana Hoosiers faced off against the No. 10 seed Miami Hurricanes. The game marked a historic moment for the Indiana program, as they sought to claim their first national title in program history. Under the guidance of second-year coach Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers had undergone a remarkable transformation, rising from one of the weakest programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision to the best team in the sport.
First Half of the Game
The game began with a surprisingly low-scoring first half, with both teams struggling to find their rhythm. The Hoosiers opened the scoring with a 34-yard field goal by Nicolas Radicic, capping an 11-play drive that featured a key 25-yard completion to Omar Cooper. The Hurricanes, on the other hand, struggled to gain traction, with quarterback Carson Beck throwing for just 69 yards in the first half. The Hoosiers extended their lead to 10-0 with a 1-yard plunge by tight end Riley Nowakowski, and the teams headed into the break with Indiana holding a 100-yard edge in total offense.
Turning Point in the Game
The momentum shifted in the third quarter, as Miami’s Mark Fletcher scored on a 57-yard run to make it 10-7. The Hurricanes continued to build on this momentum, with Fletcher scoring again from 3 yards out to draw within a field goal at 17-14. However, the Hoosiers responded with a rejuvenated Fernando Mendoza, who threw for 37 yards on the next drive and ran it in from 12 yards out to put Indiana ahead 24-14. The Hurricanes refused to give up, with Malachi Toney scoring on a 22-yard touchdown to make it 24-21.
Final Quarter and Victory
The fourth quarter saw a frenzied pace, with both teams exchanging scores and Indiana ultimately emerging victorious. Mendoza stepped up to deliver one final blockbuster sequence, hitting Cooper for 14 yards on a third-and-5 and finding Charlie Becker for 19 yards on third-and-7 to get the Hoosiers across midfield. The Hoosiers were set up at the Miami 23, and Radicic made a 35-yard field goal to grow the lead to 27-21 with 1:42 left. The Hurricanes had one final chance to win the game, but Jamari Sharpe intercepted a pass from Beck at the Hoosiers’ 7-yard line to seal the win.
Historic Victory and Perfect Season
The Hoosiers’ 27-21 victory marked a historic moment for the program, as they claimed their first national title in program history. The team finished the season with a 16-0 record, becoming the first national champion since Yale in 1894 to achieve a perfect season. The win capped an incredible turnaround for the program under Cignetti, who had inherited one of the weakest programs in the Football Bowl Subdivision just two years prior. The Hoosiers’ victory was a testament to the team’s hard work and dedication, as they defeated teams ranked No. 1, No. 5, No. 10, and No. 11 in the US LBM Coaches Poll in their final four games.