Hard Rock Stadium is once again the center of the college football universe, as Indiana and Miami gear up to clash in the 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship. The venue in Miami Gardens, Florida, is no stranger to big moments, but this one carries a little extra weight.
Indiana enters as the favorite, riding a wave of dominance that’s been building all season. Miami, meanwhile, has the rare opportunity to chase a title in front of its home crowd.
The stakes don’t get much higher than this.
But before the Hoosiers and Hurricanes can take the field, the field itself had to get a bit of a makeover.
Just a few weeks ago, Hard Rock Stadium hosted the CFP Quarterfinal between Texas Tech and Oregon in the Orange Bowl. Oregon cruised to a 23-0 win that night, looking every bit like a team ready to make a title run. But their championship dreams ran into a buzzsaw in the Peach Bowl, where they met an Indiana team that’s been steamrolling opponents all year.
Led by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers dismantled Oregon 56-22 in Atlanta. Mendoza threw five touchdown passes in a performance that wasn’t just dominant - it was a statement.
Indiana didn’t just beat Oregon, they overwhelmed them. Now, the undefeated Hoosiers are one win away from a perfect season and a national title.
On the other side, Miami punched its ticket to the title game with a dramatic 31-27 win over Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. Quarterback Carson Beck sealed the deal with a last-second touchdown run, sending the Hurricanes into celebration mode - and straight back home to prep for the biggest game of their season, in their own backyard.
With the matchup set, Hard Rock Stadium had to shed its Orange Bowl identity and get dressed for the main event. That meant removing the previous field - still marked with Texas Tech and Oregon logos - and laying down a brand-new surface. A video of the process made the rounds this week, showing crews tearing up the old turf, watering the new surface, and prepping the stadium for its national spotlight.
There was one unexpected - and unintentional - hiccup during the process. A brief shot in the video showed an odd field marking that resembled a male body part.
It wasn’t visible to the workers on the ground, but it didn’t take long for fans online to notice. The field crew quickly corrected the issue, and the final product now features clean end zones with “Indiana” and “Miami” proudly displayed on opposite sides.
Now, with the stage set and the field ready, all eyes turn to the action. Indiana’s high-powered offense, Miami’s home-field advantage, and a national title on the line - it’s everything you want in a championship showdown.