Overview
- The national title kicks off Monday, Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
- Betting markets list Indiana around -8.5 with a moneyline near -340 for the Hoosiers and +270 for Miami and a total of 47.5, after the spread opened closer to -7.5 and briefly touched -9.
- Indiana is 15-0 after CFP routs of Alabama (38-3) and Oregon (56-22), with Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza throwing eight touchdowns with no interceptions in those wins as the Hoosiers chase a 16-0 finish.
- Miami reached the final as the last at-large team by beating Texas A&M, Ohio State and Ole Miss, buoyed by Carson Beck’s late game-winning scramble versus Ole Miss and Mark Fletcher Jr.’s 395 playoff rushing yards at 6.8 yards per carry.
- Key factors include Miami’s nation-leading pass rush (featuring Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor) against Indiana’s protection, the Hoosiers’ run defense that has held foes under 100 rushing yards in 13 of 15 games, and Miami cornerback Xavier Lucas missing the first half due to a targeting ejection.