Indiana Football, One Win Away from Glory: Hoosiers Set to Clash with Miami in CFP National Championship
Indiana football is staring down history. The No. 1-ranked Hoosiers (15-0) are just one win away from completing a perfect season, and standing in their way is No.
10 Miami (13-2), a team that’s been playing with house money throughout the College Football Playoff. The two programs haven’t faced each other since 1966, but that changes Monday night under the lights at Hard Rock Stadium.
How to Watch: Indiana vs. Miami
- TV: ESPN
- Streaming: ESPN+
- Kickoff Time: Monday, Jan. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET
- Broadcast Team: Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit in the booth, with Holly Rowe and Molly McGrath on the sidelines
The Matchup: Can Miami Slow Down the Hoosiers' Freight Train?
Indiana has been nothing short of dominant this postseason. After dismantling Alabama in the quarterfinals and steamrolling Oregon in the semis, the Hoosiers have looked like a team on a mission-disciplined, explosive, and downright relentless.
Their head coach talks about winning "from play 1 to play 150," and that’s not just coach-speak. This team has executed with surgical precision in all three phases of the game.
Miami, on the other hand, has taken a different path. As a No. 10 seed, the Hurricanes have already exceeded expectations.
They’ve built momentum throughout the playoff, showing flashes of brilliance and resilience. But there’s a reason they entered the tournament with two regular-season losses and a roster that doesn’t quite match the firepower Indiana has faced-and beaten-over the last few weeks.
The Hurricanes will have the benefit of playing in their own backyard, but don't expect a full-blown home-field advantage. With corporate ticket allocations and a national title on the line, the crowd is likely to be a mixed bag.
And let’s be honest: Indiana hasn’t flinched in hostile territory all year. Trips to Iowa, Penn State, and Alabama didn’t rattle them.
It’s hard to imagine Miami’s crowd will either.
Prediction: Indiana 38, Miami 17
Barring a complete breakdown-something Indiana hasn’t shown signs of all season-this feels like the Hoosiers’ title to lose. Miami would need a near-perfect game and a few breaks to go their way to pull off the upset. Stranger things have happened in college football, but Indiana has looked too polished, too focused, and too deep to bet against now.
Indiana’s 2025 Season: A Perfect Run to the Championship Game
Here’s how the Hoosiers got here:
- Aug. 30: vs. Old Dominion - W, 27-14
- Sept. 6: vs. Kennesaw State - W, 56-9
- Sept. 14: vs. Indiana State - W, 73-0
- Sept. 21: vs. Illinois - W, 63-10
- Sept. 28: at Iowa - W, 20-15
- Oct. 11: at Oregon - W, 30-30
- Oct. 18: vs. Michigan State - W, 38-13
- Oct. 25: vs. UCLA - W, 56-6
- Nov. 1: at Maryland - W, 55-10
- Nov. 8: at Penn State - W, 27-24
- Nov. 15: vs. Wisconsin - W, 31-7
- Nov. 28: at Purdue - W, 56-3
- Dec. 6: vs.
Ohio State - W, 13-10
- Jan. 1: vs.
Alabama - W, 38-3 (CFP Quarterfinal)
- Jan. 9: vs.
Oregon - W, 56-22 (CFP Semifinal)
- Jan. 19: vs.
Miami - TBD (CFP National Championship)
From a gritty road win at Iowa to statement victories over bluebloods like Alabama and Oregon, Indiana’s resume is as complete as it gets. Now, there’s one game left.
One final hurdle. And if the Hoosiers play the way they have all year, they’ll be adding a national championship trophy to the case.
Strap in. This one has the makings of a defining moment in Indiana football history.