Overview
- No. 1 Indiana beat No. 10 Miami 27-21 at Hard Rock Stadium, with Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza converting a fourth-and-4 quarterback draw for a 12-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter.
- Mikail Kamara blocked a punt that Isaiah Jones returned for a touchdown, the first blocked-punt TD in College Football Playoff history.
- Miami’s final drive ended with Jamari Sharpe’s interception of Carson Beck with 44 seconds remaining.
- The Hoosiers finished 16-0 and are 27-2 over two seasons under Curt Cignetti, completing a swift turnaround for a program long defined by losing.
- Indiana’s rise coincides with major financial forces in college sports, including increased donations such as Mark Cuban’s support, football spending climbing from about $24 million in 2019 to over $61 million in 2024, and congressional scrutiny of private investment proposals.