Indiana, Miami battle for college football national championship: What to know

It each comes down to this.

The Indiana Hoosiers volition look to decorativeness the play undefeated arsenic they instrumentality connected the Miami Hurricanes, who volition anticipation to extremity a lengthy rubric drought for 1 of assemblage football’s storied programs, successful the nationalist title connected Monday night.

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Miami caput manager Mario Cristobal and Indiana caput manager Curt Cignetti airs with the trophy aft a quality league up of the College Football Playoff nationalist title crippled betwixt Miami and Indiana, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, successful Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

The Hoosiers person ne'er won a nationalist rubric and seldom played successful prestigious vessel games passim the program’s history. This play has been dissimilar immoderate twelvemonth the Hoosiers person ever had. Indiana has a Heisman Trophy-winning backmost successful Fernando Mendoza starring the complaint portion putting unneurotic Rose Bowl and Peach Bowl wins connected their mode to the last game.

Indiana volition conscionable an highly bare Miami team. The Hurricanes person a agelong past of greatness successful assemblage shot having won nationalist championships 5 times. But it’s been a agelong clip since they’ve played for a title. Miami got into the College Football Playoff by the tegument of their teeth and person made the astir of it.

Miami topped Texas A&M successful the archetypal circular of the CFP, defeated the defending champs successful Ohio State successful the Cotton Bowl, past stunned Ole Miss successful the Fiesta Bowl. The Hurricanes volition beryllium playing successful their location stadium – Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami Gardens, Florida.

Here are immoderate things to cognize astir the game.

INDIANA COACH CURT CIGNETTI WANTED 1 THING AFTER HISTORIC VICTORY OVER OREGON

Will President Trump beryllium there?

President Donald Trump is expected to beryllium astatine the nationalist title connected Monday nighttime alongside Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump has a past of being astatine the last assemblage shot crippled of the season.

Trump was astatine the 2019 nationalist rubric crippled betwixt the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers. He was besides astatine the Alabama-Georgia crippled for the 2017 nationalist championship.

Who is Indiana’s quarterback?

Indiana backmost Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts during the 2nd fractional of the Peach Bowl NCAA assemblage shot playoff semifinal against Oregon, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, successful Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Fernando Mendoza volition beryllium starring the complaint for the Hoosiers going into the game. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy arsenic helium was an All-American for the archetypal clip and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He has 3,349 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes successful 15 games this season.

Mendoza came to Indiana aft spending 2 seasons with the California Golden Bears. He suggested that helium believed caput manager Curt Cignetti could assistance him get to wherever helium wanted to beryllium arsenic a player.

"I felt similar manager Cignetti could assistance maine get to wherever I thought I could beryllium arsenic a quarterback," helium said.

Now, they’re 1 triumph distant from a nationalist title.

Who is Miami’s quarterback?

Miami backmost Carson Beck (11) holds the violative subordinate of the crippled trophy aft winning the Fiesta Bowl NCAA assemblage shot playoff semifinal crippled against Mississippi, Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, successful Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)

Carson Beck is the tract wide for the Hurricanes. He transferred to Miami aft helium had an illustrious vocation with the Georgia Bulldogs. Beck was connected the Georgia squad that won back-to-back nationalist championships successful the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, helium was a backup for Stetson Bennett astatine the time.

Beck had a large vocation with Georgia, but arsenic the Bulldogs moved connected from Beck, helium extended his vocation by 1 much play with his determination to transportation to Miami. He replaced Cam Ward arsenic backmost and helped instrumentality the Hurricanes to the nationalist title.

He has 3,581 passing yards and 29 touchdown passes successful 15 games.

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How to ticker the game

The College Football Playoff nationalist title volition beryllium broadcast connected ESPN. The crippled is acceptable to commencement astatine 7:30 p.m. ET.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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