The stakes couldn’t be higher for Miami heading into tonight’s College Football Playoff National Championship Game against Indiana. A title is on the line, sure-but the ripple effects of this matchup could stretch far beyond the trophy podium. One of the top wide receiver prospects in the 2027 class, Monshun Sales, made that clear with a tweet that had both fanbases buzzing.
Sales, a blue-chip talent out of Indianapolis, gave a pregame shoutout to both programs, calling them his “Top 2” and wishing luck to his “brothers and staff” at Indiana and Miami. It was a public nod that added a recruiting subplot to an already massive showdown.
And make no mistake-this game could be a turning point in Sales’ recruitment.
Miami has a chance to not only win a national title tonight but to do it by going through the very program that’s trying to build something special in Sales’ own backyard. Indiana’s Cinderella run has been one of the most captivating stories in recent college football memory.
A win tonight would cap a perfect 16-0 season and deliver the school its first-ever national championship. But a loss?
That could sting in more ways than one.
If Miami pulls this off, they don’t just end Indiana’s dream season-they potentially undercut the Hoosiers’ momentum in the recruiting world, especially with a prospect like Sales watching closely. Indiana isn’t typically known as a hotbed for elite high school football talent, but when a player like Sales comes along, you can bet both programs are going to fight for him tooth and nail.
This game is also a clash of two very different roster-building philosophies.
Mario Cristobal has leaned into Miami’s traditional recruiting strengths-locking down in-state talent, especially in the trenches, and supplementing with targeted use of the transfer portal. It’s a blueprint that’s helped the Hurricanes reestablish their identity and climb back into the national spotlight.
Curt Cignetti, on the other hand, has turned Indiana into a contender largely through the portal, building a veteran-heavy roster that has punched well above its weight. But as the cost of assembling large transfer classes continues to rise, Indiana knows it has to start winning more battles for foundational high school talent. Landing someone like Sales would be a statement that the Hoosiers are ready to do just that.
For Miami, a win tonight-and the potential to land a player like Sales-would be another step toward restoring the program to its former glory. For Indiana, this game represents both a chance to make history and to prove that their success isn’t just a one-off, but the beginning of something sustainable.
If the Hurricanes lift the trophy tonight, it won’t just be about this season. It’ll be about what comes next. And with prospects like Sales watching, the future could start looking a whole lot brighter in Coral Gables.