The lengthy wait is finally over as we’ve reached the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship as tenth-ranked Miami Hurricanes prepare to battle top-seeded Indiana Hoosiers at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. While not officially a home game for the University of Miami, it should be a comfortable environment for the lower-seeded team in the biggest game of the college football season.
Indiana entered the tournament as the team to beat with an unblemished 13-0 record. Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza will face a difficult test as he attempts to put a capstone on a magical season in the Midwest. The Hoosiers dispatched 9th-seeded Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl before putting fifth-ranked the Oregon Ducks to sleep in the Peach Bowl. Indiana will be able to call themselves National Champions if Mendoza can lead the club to one more victory in the final contest of this single elimination tournament.
Miami will be doing everything in their power to return a National Title to South Florida for the first time since 2001. That Hurricanes squad featured former New York Giants star TE Jeremy Shockey and New York Jets standout LB Jonathan Vilma as just two of a handful of future NFL-bound football players. Quarterback Carson Beck has the opportunity to end that long-standing, 25-year championship drought in Miami if he can upset Indiana on Monday night.
CFB Playoff Semifinals (Fiesta Bowl): #10 Miami Hurricanes (13-2) @ #1 Indiana Hoosiers (15-0)
Kick Off: 7:30 p.m. ET (Mon., 01/19/26)
Location: Hard Rock Stadium (Miami Gardens, Florida)
TV: ESPN
Miami team brings a winning record against the spread (10-5) and moneyline (13-2), while struggling to cover the over-under (6-9). Indiana carries positive marks versus the spread (10-5), an unbeaten record against the moneyline (15-0), and solid performances against the over-under (9-6).
| National Championship: #10 Miami at #1 Indiana | |
| Spread | IND -7.5 |
| Moneyline | MIA +260, IND -320 |
| Over-Under Total | 47.5 points |
| Money Against the Spread | 76% IND |
| Bets Against the Spread | 68% IND |
| Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook | Odds are subject to change |
Indiana is considered a significant favorite with a 68% chance of victory in the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night, per ESPN.
Best Bet: Fernando Mendoza 250+ passing yards
Mendoza has been excellent during the college football postseason experience. The 22-year-old signal caller led Indiana to a 38-3 win over Alabama behind 14 completions for 192 yards and three touchdowns, an 87.5% completion percentage. Mendoza sailed through his next test with an 85% completion rate on 20 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns in the 56-22 victory over Oregon. If the Junior can continue to put up touchdowns without turning the ball over, the Hoosiers could be in for a late-night party as they celebrate their first National Title in program history.
Miami’s defense has stopped three teams during this postseason charge: seventh-ranked Texas A&M, second-seeded Ohio State, and sixth-ranked Ole Miss. Now, the Hurricanes will try to rain on the Hoosiers scheduled Championship parade with a win in front of many fans who suffered through the lean years over the last two decades. Keep an eye on defensive back Jakobe Thomas who has five interceptions this season, including a game-sealing pick against Ohio State’s Julian Sayin with under a minute left in regulation which sealed a Cotton Bowl victory for Miami.
| National Championship Odds: Mendoza Passing Yards vs. Miami | |
| Mendoza 200+ Passing Yards | -200 |
| Mendoza 225+ Passing Yards | -112 |
| Mendoza 250+ Passing Yards | +154 |
| Mendoza 275+ Passing Yards | +250 |
| Mendoza 300+ Passing Yards | +410 |
| Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook | Odds are subject to change |
Unsurprisingly, both schools bring extended winning streaks into the final game of the college football slate. Miami has claimed seven straight victories, while Indiana will be looking for a 16th straight win that will allow the Hoosiers to join teams like the Michigan Wolverines (2023) and Georgia Bulldogs (2022) in the college history books as an undefeated winner including a College Football Playoff Championship title.
For more on the College Football Playoff, visit AMNY.com.
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