The 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship is headed to Indiana.
Top-seeded Indiana won its first ever football championship on Monday, outlasting the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes 27-21 in a game that started murky but ended in a thriller.
Things started relatively slow for both sides, as Indiana took just a 10-0 lead into halftime with Miami’s offense getting nothing going on the ground or over the top.
But, as usual in low-scoring college first halves, the script flipped in the final two quarters. Miami woke up to put the pressure on the Hoosiers, but Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza stepped up and Hurricanes QB1 Carson Beck couldn’t.
Beck had the chance to deliver a game-winning drive, but forced a deep pass that was picked off. Indiana held on 27-21, winning the program’s first ever football title in its debut appearance while Miami’s wait since 2001 persists, despite being at home in Hard Rock Stadium.
Let’s analyze the game further with winners and losers as Indiana ends the season unbeaten at 16-0:
WINNER: Fernando Mendoza, Indiana
The Heisman winner and potential No. 1 pick had all the eyes on him tonight. It wasn’t a perfect performance, but he displayed the grit and poise needed at the next level.
Mendoza threw for 186 yards on 16 of 27 completions, while also rushing for the key 12-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
He’ll still need to polish his game more to truly thrive in the NFL, especially if the Las Vegas Raiders believe he’s the QB1 that can elevate their trajectory. But for now, he can bask in the moment.
LOSER: Carson Beck, Miami
On the other hand, it was a slightly different story for Miami’s QB1. Carson Beck, 23, could’ve had his moment to change the narrative on his college career — and boost his potential draft odds in the process.
He overcame a slow start and displayed much better command in the second half, finishing with 232 passing yards and a touchdown on 19 of 32 completions. But the lone pick might just summarize his five-year collegiate run best — a competitive college option but not at the level required to win the majors.
WINNER: Mark Fletcher Jr., Miami
Most eyes were on Mendoza’s legitimacy to go No. 1, but Miami had an opportunity to show off some of its skill players as well.
Malachi Toney, a rising 18-year-old wideout, seized his moments and will be one to watch for the future. Junior running back Mark Fletcher Jr. also stood out, and he could even be NFL ready if he declared.
Fletcher Jr. reflected Miami’s stagnant offense in the first half but helped open it up in the second, ending the game with 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. He enjoyed a career-best 57-yard run, also the second-longest touchdown in a BCS final.
LOSER: Third-down efficiency
Indiana’s defense ranked among the top in several defensive statistics this season, and getting off the field on third downs was a major reason why.
The Hoosiers at one point limited Miami to being 0-for-6 on third downs. Miami finished with a 3-for-11 rate, while Indiana went 6-for-15. Miami’s defense delivered an underrated performance, but Mendoza helped chip at the margins where Beck couldn’t.
Had the Hurricanes improved their rate in the first half, apart from the doinked field-goal try, this could’ve been a different ball game.
WINNER: Curt Cignetti, Indiana
In an era where there’s a power vacuum at the college football summit, Indiana might have something brewing. The Hoosiers are far from a football powerhouse, but they’ve flipped from being terrible to national champs in two years under Curt Cignetti.
The 64-year-old is revered by his players and has built a sturdy culture beyond Mendoza, with more youngsters hoping to develop through the program now.
If the Hoosiers can capitalize off this success, they can be a dominant figure for years to come. It’ll start with getting their next QB1 right, though.
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