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It all comes down to this.
The Indiana Hoosiers will look to finish the season undefeated when they take on the Miami Hurricanes, who will be hoping to end a long title drought for one of college football’s national championship programs on Monday night.
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Miami head coach Mario Cristobal and Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti pose with the trophy after a news conference prior to the College Football Playoff national championship game between Miami and Indiana, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Miami. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)
The Hoosiers have never won a national title and rarely played in prestigious bowl games throughout the program’s history. This season has been unlike any other year the Hoosiers have ever had. Indiana has a Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback in Fernando Mendoza leading the offense as they put together Rose Bowl and Peach Bowl victories en route to the final game.
Indiana will face an extremely hungry Miami team. The Hurricanes have a long history of greatness in college football, having won national championships five times. But it has been a long time since they played for a title. Miami came into the College Football Playoff on a roll and has made the most of it.
Miami topped Texas A&M in the first round of the CFP, defeated defending champion Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl and then stunned Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. The Hurricanes will play at their home stadium – Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
Here are some things to know about the game.
INDIANA COACH CURT CIGNETTI WANTED 1 THING AFTER HISTORIC WIN OVER OREGON
Will President Trump be there?
President Donald Trump is expected to be at the national championship Monday night, along with Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Trump has a history of being at the last college football game of the season.
Trump was at the 2019 national title game between the LSU Tigers and the Clemson Tigers. He was also at the Alabama-Georgia game for the 2017 national championship.
Who is Indiana’s quarterback?
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts during the second half of the Peach Bowl NCAA college football semifinal against Oregon, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)
Fernando Mendoza will lead the charge for the Hoosiers entering the game. Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy as a first-time All-American and the Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year. He has 3,349 passing yards and 41 touchdown passes in 15 games this season.
Mendoza came to Indiana after spending two seasons with the California Golden Bears. He suggested he believed head coach Curt Cignetti could help him get to where he wanted to be as a player.
“I felt like Coach Cignetti could help me get to where I thought I could be at quarterback,” he said.
Now they are one win away from a national title.
Who is Miami’s quarterback?
Miami quarterback Carson Beck (11) holds the offensive player of the game trophy after winning the Fiesta Bowl NCAA college football semifinal game against Mississippi on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026, in Glendale, Arizona. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
Carson Beck is the field general for the Hurricanes. He moved to Miami after having an illustrious career with the Georgia Bulldogs. Beck was on the Georgia team that won back-to-back national championships in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. However, he was the backup to Stetson Bennett at the time.
Beck had a great career with Georgia, but when the Bulldogs moved on from Beck, he extended his career by one more season with his decision to transfer to Miami. He replaced Cam Ward at quarterback and helped take the Hurricanes to the national title.
He has 3,581 passing yards and 29 touchdown passes in 15 games.
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How to watch the game
The College Football Playoff national championship will be broadcast on ESPN. The game is set to start at 7:30 PM ET.
