COLLEGE FOOTBALL: History waiting to be written when Indiana, Miami collide in title game

Top-seeded Indiana is just one victory away from completing the biggest rags-to-riches story in college football history.

A program that went 9-27 over a three-year span earlier this decade—and held the record for most losses in FBS history until recently—is on the verge of winning its first national championship. The Hoosiers will face No. 10 Miami on Monday night in the College Football Playoff title game at Miami Gardens, Florida.

Indiana has never won a national championship, while the Hurricanes have claimed five, the most recent in 2001.

Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza has led the Hoosiers (15-0) to dominant victories over No. 9 Alabama and No. 5 Oregon, outscoring them by a combined 94-25 in the first two playoff rounds. Under second-year head coach Curt Cignetti, who has a 26-2 record since leaving James Madison, Indiana now aims to seal the historic season.

“If you look at the record since Indiana started playing football and the success we've had the last two years, we've broken a lot of records in terms of wins, championships, postseason games, and top-10 road wins,” Cignetti said. “It's been kind of surreal. You get it done with the right people, properly led. You need a blueprint, a plan, the right staff, and the right players in the locker room.”

Mendoza, who spent two starting seasons at Cal with 30 touchdowns and 16 interceptions, has undergone a remarkable transformation at Indiana. This season, he leads the nation with 41 touchdown passes, completing 73% of his throws for 3,349 yards while being intercepted just six times.

He became Indiana’s first Heisman winner and is the favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.

“I still remember when I was in the transfer portal,” Mendoza said. “Coach Cignetti told me, ‘If you're going to come here, you're going to develop into a hell of a quarterback.’ It wasn’t about a national championship then—it was about growth and belief.”

The Hoosiers’ dominance extends beyond offense. Indiana has scored 50 or more points in seven games this season while allowing 10 or fewer points in nine contests. Safety Louis Moore has six interceptions, and outside linebacker Rolijah Hardy has eight sacks.

Miami (13-2) will play at home, and the Hurricanes have impressed in the playoffs, defeating No. 7 Texas A&M, No. 2 Ohio State, and No. 6 Ole Miss. Quarterback Carson Beck, in his first season with Miami after five years at Georgia, led a decisive 75-yard drive against Ole Miss to secure the semifinal victory. Beck has thrown for 11,493 yards and 87 touchdowns over his career.

“I don’t know if it’s hit me yet,” Beck said. “During the game, or when it starts, it probably will. Knowing it’s my last college game and it’s for a national championship—what an opportunity. Regardless of the outcome, it’s been an amazing season.”

Miami coach Mario Cristobal acknowledged the challenge ahead. “They’re the best overall team and best defense we’ve faced,” he said. “They’re fast, physical, explosive, talented, smart, and play with a lot of intensity. It’s very challenging.”

Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. has excelled in the postseason with 172, 90, and 133-yard games, while the defense is anchored by standout ends Akheem Mesidor (10.5 sacks) and Rueben Bain Jr. (8.5 sacks).

Monday night’s showdown promises to be a storybook finale for two of college football’s most determined programs.

—Field Level Media/Reuters