Indiana Has Owned the Line All Year — Is Miami the Exception?

Indiana has blown past its first two College Football Playoff opponents – and its regular season slate, for that matter – behind the dominant play of both its offensive and defensive line

The eye test has told a compelling story, in terms of the Hoosiers’ ability to control the trenches on both sides of the football, and the numbers are even more convincing.

Indiana's dominance at the line of scrimmage will be put to the test against Miami

Jan 9, 2026; Atlanta, GA, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti on the field prior to the 2025 Peach Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff against the Oregon Ducks at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

In the Peach Bowl, Indiana had 10 tackles for loss against Oregon compared to the Ducks’ five. Dan Lanning’s club had 71 yards on one carry, but finished the outing with 93 total rushing yards – good for 3.6 yards per tote, despite that ultra-explosive play from Dierre Hill Jr. Meanwhile, Indiana went for 4.6 yards per carry en route to 185 yards in that same outing.

Rewind the tape a game further to the Alabama game, and the disparity is even more clear-cut. The Crimson Tide rushed for a whopping 23 yards on 17 carries (1.4 yards per rush) while the Hoosiers had 50 rushes for 215 yards. You get the idea.

But what about the Big Ten championship – an outing Indiana was challenged in? Well, even in that one, Curt Cignetti’s unit controlled the trenches. Wreaking havoc on Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin, the Hoosiers’ pass-rush sacked Sayin five times. In Ohio State’s 12 previous games, Sayin had gone down just six total times.

The Buckeyes’ offensive line was considered to be one of the best in the country – if not the best – until it met Indiana on that fateful early-December night in Indianapolis.

The immediate thought following that conference championship: Indiana just did that to the No. 1 team in the country? The Hoosiers are the best team in the country at the line of scrimmage. Bar none.

Who has the edge in the national championship: Miami or Indiana?

Jan 8, 2026; Glendale, AZ, USA; Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal against the Mississippi Rebels during the 2026 Fiesta Bowl and semifinal game of the College Football Playoff at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Then we saw Ohio State get tossed all over AT&T Stadium by Miami, a club that registered five sacks of its own against Ryan Day’s previously-lauded offensive line. On the flip side, the Buckeyes managed just four total tackles for loss in that outing.

Fast forward a few weeks later, and we have two teams remaining: Indiana and Miami. So, who has the advantage at the line of scrimmage?

Well, in terms of pure talent, it’s Miami – by a healthy margin. And, yes, Indiana’s individual talent from player to player has been undervalued all season long, but there’s a reason the Hurricanes have three projected first-rounders between their offensive and defensive line. (Indiana has zero.)

However, in all the other areas, Indiana has the edge. Scheme? Hoosiers. Sheer grit and want? Hoosiers – evident in center Pat Coogan being 20 yards down the field to recover a Fernando Mendoza fumble in the Peach Bowl.

I love smart offensive line play.. Pat Coogan of IU following the ball (hustle, good things happen!) and collecting the fumble. That's how you become the MVP of the Rose Bowl. pic.twitter.com/s9iBCqHpjg
— SpreadOffense.com (@SpreadOffense) January 10, 2026

All in all, who knows? It’s a cop out answer, but it’s the right one. It goes without saying: there’s a handful of reasons both of these teams are in the national championship. And their abilities to dominate in the trenches is near the top of the list.

That said, while the big boys’ play at the line of scrimmage will play a key role in determining the outcome, it appears more likely that the quarterback battle featuring Mendoza and Miami’s Carson Beck will be the ultimate deciding factor.