No. 10 Miami Looks for Its Sixth National Championship Against No. 1 Indiana: Live Updates

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The final game of the season. The Miami Hurricanes are playing a home National Championship game against the best turnaround in sports history against No. 1 Indiana.

It is clear that these two teams are the best teams remaining in the College Football Playoff, and it is expected to be a groundbreaking game for the future of the sport.

The Hurricanes are looking to their sixth national championship after years of lying dormant as one of the worst programs in recent history. However, it doesn't match how the Hoosisers were the worst football program, maybe of all time, before now.

The Canes will look to kill the dream of the rabid Hoosiers, searching for their first football championship ever.

Miami Player To Watch: Rueben Bain Jr.

He didn't have the biggest stat day against Ole Miss, but the style of quarterback play will be completely different. Bain still dominated in the Fiesta Bowl, leading the team in pressure, but with Ole Miss getting the ball out so fast, he couldn't get to the quarterback. That will be completely different against the Hoosiers in his hometown.

Indiana Player to Watch: Fernando Mendoza

Mendoza looks cap off the perfect season with a national championship, and what better way do that than returning to his home city and defeating a team that looked over him during his recruiting process. The Heisman Trophy winner looks to be the No. 1 pick in the NFL draft, and with less than eight incompletions in the entire run in the CFP, he can light up the Canes for another and final game.

How to Watch the National Championship Game:

Game Day: Monday, January 19

Kickoff time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern

TV: ESPN

Radio:560 WQAM,990AM ESPN Deportes,WVUM,

Last Time Out, Hoosiers: It was pure domination from the first snap against the Oregon Ducks. It has been like that all season with most teams, with the defense leading the offense to cruise and still score 55 points.

Last Time Out, Miami: The Hurricanes played a C- game against the Ole Miss Rebels, but they played well enough to sneak past the Rebels in one of the best games in the CFP this year.

Last Meeting: This will only be the third meeting between Miami and Indiana, and the first since 1966. The series is tied 1-1.

Odds for Miami vs. Indiana

Odds will move all week depending on the book and the action, but Indiana has opened as a solid favorite.

Spread: Indiana -7.5
Over/under: 48.5
Moneyline: Indiana -325, Miami +260

Current Score

Miami 21, Indiana 27

Pregame

Devin Hester walking out ahead of Miami warmups at the #NationalChampionship #GoCanes pic.twitter.com/8r66XewOvD
— Miami Hurricanes On SI (@CanesCentralSI) January 19, 2026

Freshman sensation Malachi Toney hits the field for warmups. pic.twitter.com/JI80ThklGd
— Miami Hurricanes On SI (@CanesCentralSI) January 19, 2026

Defensive back Demari Brown is dressed for warmups. Defensive coordinator Corey Heatherman said earlier this week that Brown was a 50/50 decision as to whether he would play or not.

Las Vegas Raiders minority owner Tom Brady is on the sideline, presumably checking out who will be his team's first-round pick.

Nick Saban has chosen Miami to win the National Title.

Nick Saban picks 'The U' to win the Natty. pic.twitter.com/tlehtTVbbi
— Pat Smith (@patsmithradio) January 20, 2026

First Quarter

Indiana wins the toss and defers possession to the second half. Miami will start with the ball in the 2026 National Championship.

Miami's first posession goes nowhere, and Indiana takes over deep inside its own territory after a deep punt.

After moving the chains on the first play from scrimmage, Miami stuffs the Hoosiers after a pair of tackles at the line of scrimmage. Miami's offense will take over at its own 43-yard line after a short return from Malachi Toney, but a flag is down on the return.

Officials call Miami for holding on the return, and the Hurricanes will take over deeper inside its own territory at the 33-yard line. The drive goes nowhere following a missed throw from Beck over the middle.

Indiana moves the chains twice, but gets called for a false start to bring up 2nd and 9 from their own 45. However, the Hoosiers move the chains yet again and cross midfield. After another pass over the middle to Miami 27-yard line.

On the ensuing 3rd down, Indiana rushes to move the chains even deeper into Miami territory. Mendoza looks deep, and Frederique Jr. breaks up the pass on third down. The IU field goal unit will hit the field, and the KICK IS GOOD | 2:42

MIA: The Hurricanes return the kick to their own 27, and the Hurricane offense will take the field down 3-0. | 2:35

Beck's first and second down throws fall incomplete, and on third down, he's sacked. The Hoosiers are in full control thus far in the first quarter. The Miami punt falls at the Indiana 27-yard line, where it's downed. | 1:29

IU: Rueben Bain Jr. tackles Hemby six yards behind the line of scrimmage, and Moten Jr. brings him down after a gian of one on second down. On 3rd and 15, Mendonza's screen pass to Hemby is brought down short of the line to gain, and that will end the first quarter. | 0:00

Second Quarter

IU: Indiana's punt is returned by Malachi Toney to the 31-yard line.

MIA: A short rush on first down and a short pass on second brings up 3rd and 2, and Miami is stuffed. The Hurricane punt unit will take the field and fire one down range deep into Indiana territory to the 15-yard line. | 12:57

IU: Indiana moves the chains on first down, but Mendoza's next pass is batted away over the middle of the field. On the ensuing second down, Mendoza finds a man for a gain of nine, and Hemby carries it across the line to gain on the next play.

Hemby is brought down after a short gain, and then a gain of 3 yards on second down. On the ensuing 3rd down, Miami is called for a defensive pass interference to move the chains. Moten makes a TFL before Hemby rushes for another short gain. On 3rd down, Indiana takes a timeout. | 9:08

Mendoza's 3rd down pass falls incomplete, but there's a penalty. Then, Indiana moves the chains on the next play to drive to the Miami 23-yard line.

Mendoza's next pass is hauled in on the sideline, and the receiver carries it into the end zone, but he stepped out of bounds at the 6-yard line. | 7:56

On 1st and goal, Black carries it for a gain of one, then for another short gain to bring up 3rd and goal. Miami takes a timeout. | 6:13

On 3rd and goal, Indiana scores a TOUCHDOWN on the fullback dive. The kick is up and good. | 6:07

MIA: A pair of rushes from Mark Fletcher Jr. gets Miami to their own 34-yard line, but he's stuffed on 3rd down. The Hurricanes go for it on 4th down, and Fletcher just crosses the line to gain.

Beck finds Daniels close to the Miami 40-yard line. Toney takes a screen pass for a short gain. That takes us to the 2-minute warning. | 2:00

Miami opens the warning with a rush from Fletcher for no gain. On 3rd down, Miami comes up short on 3rd down to bring up 4th and 2. The Hurricanes call a timeout to attempt a field goal, and it's no good.

IU: Indiana takes over with 23 seconds on the clock, and after a completion to midfield, IU calls a timeout to make an endzone heave. The pass falls incomplete, and that will take us to the halftime break. | 0:00

Third Quarter

IU: After Indiana gets behind the chains on the opening possession, Miami commits a facemask to move the chains. A short rush and an incompletion later, Indiana finds itself staring down a 3rd and 9 before Mendoza is sacked by Bain. The IU punt unit takes the field. | 12:28

MIA: Malachi Toney returns the punt to the Miami 38-yard line. Toney hauls in a 5-yard gain, and Mark Fletcher breaks free for a 57-YARD TOUCHDOWN. The kick is up and good. | 11:05

IU: The Hoosiers net a first down on the first play from scrimmage, and a gain of five followed by a gain of two brings up 3rd and 3. Mendoza's next pass is bobbled and ruled incomplete to bring out the IU punt team. The punt is fair caught at the 11-yard line. | 9:02

MIA: Miami carries for no gain on first down, and on second down, Beck's pass to Toney is incomplete. Then, on 3rd down, his pass to Daniels falls incomplete. The Miami punt unit will take to the field. The punt settles at the IU 43-yard line. | 8:09

IU: Mendoza is sacked on first down, and on 2nd and 18, Black rushes for six yards. Then, on 3rd down, Mendoza's pass falls incomplete. The punt lands at the Miami 3-yard line, and Toney returns it to the 7-yard line. | 6:24

MIA: On first down, Miami nets three yards before Beck's toss is incomplete on second down. Toney is brought down short of the line to gain to bring up 4th and 1. The punt unit takes the field and it is BLOCKED FOR AN INDIANA TOUCHDOWN. The kick is up and good. | 5:00

MIA: Fletcher's first carry goes for eight yards, and then he moves the chains for a gain of 10 yards. Beck's pass is imcomplete, and then Marty Brown rushes for a gain of four yards to bring up 3rd and 6. Beck finds Daniels over the middle to move the sticks, and he moves down to the Indiana 39-yard line.

Beck then tosses to Joshua Moore for a gain of one before finding Toney for a gain of 22 yards. On the ensuing play, Fletcher runs for three yards on first down, then six yards on second to end the quarter. Play will resume with Miami at 3rd and 1. | 0:00

Fourth Quarter

MIA: Fletcher opens the fourth qarter with a MIAMI TOUCHDOWN. The kick is up and good. | 14:50

IU: Indiana's first play goes for a gain of two yards, and Black carries for 13 yards on the ensuing play. Mendoza's next pass falls incomplete before the Hoosiers move the chains again for a fresh set of downs. The IU offense sets up at the Miami 42.

Mendoza is brought down after a short sramble to bring up 2nd and 9. Hemby carries for a gain of four yards, and on 3rd and 5, Mendoza's pass is incomplete. The IU offense stays out, and IU calls a timeout. | 11:28

The offense is back out after the timeout, and Mendoza's deep pass is hauled in on a comeback route for 19 yards. Black rushes for four yards down to the Miami 14-yard line. Then, he rushes for another pair of yards to the 12. On 3rd and 5, Mendoza's pass falls incomplete to bring up 4th and 5. Cignetti calls another timeout, and the offense is still out on the field.

On 4th and 5, Mendoza carries it in for an INDIANA TOUCHDOWN. The PAT is up and good. | 9:27

MIA: Marion returns the kick to the Miami 17-yard line. A holding brings them back to the 7-yard line, and a short pass to Toney and a rush moves the chains. After a pair of incompletions, Miami committs a false start on 3rd and 15.

Beck finds his tight end over the middle to move the chains for a big first down, then Toney hauls a post route in to carry the ball down to the Indiana 22-yard line. After an incompletion, Toney carries it for a 22-YARD MIAMI TOUCHDOWN. The kick is up and good. | 6:37

IU: The kickoff sails out of the end zone. On first down, Hemby carries for a gain of three, followed by another gain of three to bring up 3rd and 4. A short pass moves the chain, After a gain of 14 and 5 yards, Black is brought down for a loss of two yards. Then, Mendoza's pass is hauled in on the sideline by Becker. Hemby rushes for another 10 yards, which will bring us to the 2:00 timeout. | 2:00

Another Hemby rush moves the line of scrimmage nine yards, and Miami calls its first timeout of the half. | 1:56

Out of the timeout, the Miami defense gets a break with an IU false start. Hemby is wrangled for little to no gain on 2nd down and long to bring up 3rd and 5. | 1:51

Black is stuffed again, and another Miami timeout is taken to bring the IU field goal unit to the field. | 1:47

The FG IS GOOD.

MIA: The kick sails out of the end zone, and on first down, Beck and company are flagged for a delay of game. On first down, Beck flips to his tight end over the middle, but it falls incomplete. Beck throws incomplete on 2nd down, but a penalty is called for roughing the passer to net Miami another 15 yards and a fresh set of downs.

Marty Brown hauls in a short pass for an 11-yard gain, then he finds Toney for a spectacular catch. On 2nd and 3, Beck finds Daniels across the sticks. Indiana then calls a timeout. | 0:51

Beck throws deep, and it's picked off. Indiana can kneel out the clock, but there's a flag on the play. It's for unsportsmanlike conduct, but it doesn't matter. Indiana wins the 2026 College Football National Championship.