The tour began in August with 136 teams hoping to taste postseason glory. During the 15-week run, the cast was narrowed down to 12. Over the past month, favorites have fallen, heroes have emerged, and in the end, only two teams have found their way to Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, where a champion will be crowned.
Few would have expected at the start of the year that Miami and Indiana will face off (January 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET) to determine this season’s champion. Many of the big moments have involved a mysterious scuffle or scuffle or, occasionally, a bit of luck. But after watching the Hurricanes and Hoosiers advance into the 2025-26 season, it’s clear that both of these teams have earned their way to title contention, and the matchup figures to be one of the best this season. –David Hale
When: January 19th, 7:30 pm ET. TV: espn
What we learned in the semi-finals: carson beck Can take this team. Over the past two years, few players have endured Beck’s level of criticism, for real and perceived struggles on and off the field. He has managed it decently, endearing himself to his teammates, and, despite two disappointing midseason failures, he has led Miami to the promised land. If there was any doubt about whether Miami won because of Beck or in spite of him, the QB offered a strong answer In the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl, drove the Canes 75 yards on 15 plays and capped a game-defining and program-changing scramble in the end zone that put Miami ahead of Ole Miss. Beck faced 15 third downs in the game. He converted 11 of them, completed 7 of 9 throws and ran for 25 yards. “The last two games, you probably didn’t see him throw the ball enough,” receiver Keelan Marion “But the run game – that was the game plan. We had to take advantage of what he gave us. But we knew he could do that,” he said after the Fiesta Bowl victory.
X Factor: Crowd nearby. In the first two playoff games, Miami’s defensive front led Achim Messidor And reuben ben jr., dominance, racking up 12 sacks. In the semi-finals against Ole Miss, trinidad chamblis And the Rebels’ quick pass game stymied the Canes’ offensive unit, and it ended with only one sack on the first drive of the game. Bain and Messidor were largely limited. Chambliss and the Rebels may have offered a blueprint for how to negate Miami’s best weapon in defeat. The Canes D also missed at least four chances on interceptions and found themselves losing some serious field position with penalties – including a backbreaking call late in the fourth quarter that set up an Ole Miss score – only underlined the concern. But turn on the tape of the last six games, and it’s easy to see that Benn & Co. won’t be put away forever. They’re so good, so strong, so tireless that the Canes’ season may end without a fight.
They can win if… The Canes may be the more fundamentally sound team. Watching the Fiesta Bowl was a study in frustration for Miami fans. The power run game dominated, but too often, the Canes went on the offensive and drives failed. It appeared that Beck had a receiver open for scores on two occasions, only to have the throw go off target. The pass rush, which was dominant, was stopped short by Ole Miss’ game plan. The defense was solid, but it also involved a lot of little games kevan lacy73-yard touchdown run. The DBs, who had been so effective earlier in the playoffs, dropped one potential interception after another that might have turned a close game into a blowout. Miami missed its fourth field goal attempt of the postseason. The Canes were awarded 10 penalties, many of which were at crucial moments. Despite all this, Miami won, but the game was more dramatic than it should have been. In the title game, Miami is unlikely to have as much success overcoming the mistakes it creates, and so the game plan and execution will have to be much better. The story of Miami’s recent history has often been one of snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. That it avoided another disaster in the Fiesta Bowl is a testament to Miami’s talent and also a reminder that the margin for error is very slim at this point in the year. –hel
What we learned in the semi-finals: The Hoosiers are an absolute juggernaut. Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Pond Picked off a pass from the Oregon quarterback dante moore on the first snap of the game and rushed for a touchdown, setting the tone for the onslaught to come. As they have all season, the Hoosiers dominated at the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The defense harassed Moore and shut down the Oregon running game, taking a 35–7 lead at halftime. heisman winner Fernando MendozaHe, meanwhile, was nearly flawless, completing 17 of 20 passes for 177 yards. Through two playoff games, Mendoza, the projected No. 1 pick in the upcoming NFL Draft, has more touchdown passes (8) than completions (5). Since the Rose Bowl debut against Alabama, the Hoosiers have scored a total of 94 points, gained 770 yards of offense and defeated the Crimson Tide and Ducks by a combined margin of 69 points. The Hoosiers also provided an exclamation point with a blocked punt in the fourth quarter, which set up another Mendoza touchdown. Indiana is now one win away from completing one of the most surprising – yet spectacular – championship runs in college football history.
X Factor: The Hurricanes have an elite defensive line, led by a pair of blue-chip pass rushers in Messidor and Ben. But Indiana’s defensive front has also been disappointing, especially this postseason. Since its Big Ten Championship win over Ohio State, Indiana has taken away the running game and harassed the quarterback. The Buckeyes, Crimson Tide and Ducks combined to rush for only 174 yards, while averaging just 2.5 yards per carry against the Hoosiers. Indiana’s heavy pressure also forced Ohio State to settle for the quarterback. julian sign (a Heisman finalist), Alabama quarterback ty simpson and Moore – both projected in the first round of the draft – had their worst performances of the year. The Hurricanes’ talented and formidable offensive line provides the biggest test yet for Indiana’s relentless defensive front. But the Hoosiers will test Miami in the trenches, too.
They can win if… The Hoosiers will continue to play like they have all year. The storms are formidable, especially near the front. Beck has played brilliantly in Miami’s last two playoff wins, especially on third down and in key situations. The Hurricanes also have several dynamic playmakers running backs who steal the spotlight Mark Fletcher Jr.and receiver Malachi TonyBut does Indiana have any weaknesses? The Hoosiers have outscored opponents by 473 points this year, According to ESPN Research, this ties 2019 Clemson for the largest point differential entering a national championship game in the playoff era, which begins in 2014, Indiana will be the betting favorite in the title game for a reason, –Jake Trotter
