ESPN announces historic news on Indiana-Miami CFP national championship

In a clash for the ages, the No. 1-seed Indiana Hoosiers fended off the No. 10-seed Miami Hurricanes on Monday in the College Football Playoff National Championship, winning 27-21.

The victory gave Indiana its first championship in football, capping off a perfect season that saw them become just the third team in college football history to post a 16-0 record. In the process, they took down one of the biggest brands in college football, which was looking for its first championship since 2001.

Being that it was a battle between a blue-blood looking to return to glory and a program that opened the year as the losingest program in college football history, there was certainly plenty of intrigue. How much intrigue into the game wasn't truly known until the numbers were released by ESPN on Thursday.

As announced by ESPN PR, the game averaged 30.1 million viewers and peaked at 33.2 million. A mark that made it the second-most-watched College Football Playoff championship ever.

The 2026 #NationalChampionship ft. @CanesFootball & @IndianaFootball delivered:

📈 30.1M viewers, 33.2M peak
🏈 2nd most-watched #CFBPlayoff title game
📺 2nd best cable telecast ever
🏆 Most-viewed non‑NFL sports event since '16 World Series Gm 7

🔗 https://t.co/IFdlYlrxmc pic.twitter.com/rLM3Yt9iIp
— ESPN PR (@ESPNPR) January 22, 2026

"The telecast, which was up 36 percent year-over-year, also ranked as the most-viewed non-NFL sports telecast since the 2016 World Series Game 7," wrote ESPN. "The Hurricanes-Hoosiers showdown ranks as the fourth most-watched college football game in the past 30 years and the eighth most-watched ESPN production all-time. The audience peaked at 33.2 million viewers in the first half."

This comes after many fans and analysts expressed concern over the fact that there wasn't an SEC program in the game, and concerns over the fact that there was such a long time between games.

Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti. — Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti smiles as he is interviewed on the podium after the College Football Playoff National Championship. | Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

For the 30+ million fans that tuned in, they were treated to an instant classic. Miami was able to erase a 10-0 deficit with a 57-yard touchdown run by Mark Fletcher Jr., while the Hoosiers appeared to have iced the game with a blocked punt with 3:04 remaining in the third quarter.

However, after another Fletcher touchdown, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza gave the Hoosiers some more breathing room with his heroic 12-yard touchdown run on 4th-and-4 with 9:18 remaining in the fourth quarter.

Miami eventually had a chance to win the game with under a minute remaining, but quarterback Carson Beck was picked off at Indiana's 6-yard line to seal the deal.

The Hoosiers proved that in this era of NIL and the transfer portal, any team can win it all if it gets the right level of investment from its program and brings in the right guys. Now is the hard part for Indiana, as they have to sustain the success.

As for Miami, they have to figure out what small tweaks can be made so they are on the other side of the scoreboard next time.

Regardless, the two teams delivered on a great championship that college football fans will remember for years.