The Indiana University Hoosiers defeated the University of Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship on Jan. 19. The game drew significant national attention, reaching a peak viewership of approximately 33 million, according to ESPN, making it the second most-watched national championship game on record.
From 1980 to 2001, the Hurricanes won five national titles and produced several NFL players. Indiana, however, had the lowest winning percentage in the Big Ten’s history and the most losses in Division 1 college football. Since winning its last national championship in 2001, however, Miami experienced extended inconsistency. In 2024, the Hurricanes narrowly missed the newly expanded 12-team College Football Playoff. The outlook for 2025 was uncertain following the departures of quarterback Cameron Ward, the 2025 NFL Draft’s first overall pick, along with other important offensive contributors Xavier Restrepo and Elijah Arroyo.
Miami opened the season with a win over Notre Dame, a result that later influenced the CFP selection process. Transfer quarterback Carson Beck emerged as the team’s starter, developing an early connection with freshman wide receiver Malachi Toney. Despite losses to Louisville and SMU that removed Miami from ACC title contention, the Hurricanes finished the regular season 10–2 and ranked No. 10 in the final AP Poll.
The Hurricanes secured a playoff berth following the CFB’s controversial decision to leave Notre Dame out of the playoffs, capitalizing on their opportunity by defeating Texas A&M in the first round before eliminating defending national champion Ohio State. Miami then advanced to the championship game with a win over the University of Mississippi in the Fiesta Bowl, led by a stifling defense with the Ted Hendricks Award-winning defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. at its helm.
The Indiana Hoosiers’ path to the national championship was a far different story than Miami’s. Combined with one of the worst records in college football history, the team’s most recent notable success was a Big Ten championship in 1945.
The program’s trajectory changed with the hiring of Head Coach Curt Cignetti in 2023. Indiana posted an 11–1 record in 2024 and followed it with an undefeated regular season in 2025. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a transfer from California, played a central role in the Hoosiers’ success.
Indiana finished the regular season 12–0 and defeated Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship Game to earn the No. 1 ranking in the AP Poll. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy, supported by an impressive roster featuring key contributors such as wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, defensive back D’Angelo Ponds and a veteran offensive line.
The Hoosiers received a first-round bye in the playoff before soundly defeating Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl and defeating Oregon 56-22 in the Peach Bowl semifinals, advancing to the program’s first-ever national championship game.
Although the game was played in Miami, Indiana fans were still scattered throughout the stadium. The stadium was split 60 to 40, with Indiana fans travelling so well they outnumbered the Miami fans in their own backyard. Throughout the game, Mendoza made several pivotal plays, including several fourth-down conversions that extended scoring drives and helped Indiana maintain control in key moments of the second half. Cignetti also played a significant role in the outcome, making aggressive fourth-down decisions that kept the Hoosiers’ offense on the field and contributed directly to points.
Although Indiana held the lead for much of the game, Miami remained within one possession until the final drive, but a Jamari Sharpe interception sealed the game. With the victory, Indiana became the first team in college football history to go 16-0.
