The 2025 college football season has been nothing short of a rollercoaster-one packed with upsets, dominance, and defining moments. And now, it all comes down to this: No.
1 Indiana vs. No.
10 Miami. Sixty minutes of football to crown a national champion.
One game to make history.
For Indiana, the stakes are monumental. A win would cap off a perfect 16-0 season-something no team has accomplished in the modern era.
It would also mark the first national title in program history. For Miami, the storyline is equally compelling.
The Hurricanes are on the verge of becoming the first team in the BCS or College Football Playoff era to win a national championship on their home turf. Either way, the outcome will send shockwaves through the college football landscape.
How We Got Here
Let’s rewind. Indiana and Miami didn’t just sneak into the title game-they bulldozed their way in with statement wins that left no doubt about their legitimacy.
Indiana has looked like a team on a mission all postseason. The Hoosiers dismantled No.
9 Alabama in the Rose Bowl, 38-3, and followed that up with a 56-22 rout of No. 5 Oregon in the Peach Bowl.
Head coach Curt Cignetti, in just his second season, has his squad playing with a blend of discipline, physicality, and explosive playmaking that’s been nearly impossible to stop.
Miami’s path was more of a slow burn-until it wasn’t. The Hurricanes barely made it into the expanded 12-team playoff field, but once they were in, they caught fire.
They edged out No. 7 Texas A&M 10-3 in a gritty first-round win, then stunned No.
2 Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl. Their semifinal win over No.
6 Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl-31-27-was a back-and-forth thriller that showed just how resilient this team has become.
A New Era, A New Champion
This is the first year of the 12-team College Football Playoff format, and it’s already delivering the kind of drama fans hoped for. Traditional powerhouses like Georgia, Alabama, and Ohio State were all in the mix-but none of them made it to the final stage. Instead, we’re looking at a championship showdown between a surging Indiana program and a Miami team that’s rediscovered its swagger.
Indiana is the rising force, a team that’s built its identity on physical dominance and efficient execution. Miami, once a sleeping giant, has reawakened with a playoff run that feels like vintage Hurricanes-gritty, gutsy, and just a little bit chaotic.
The Road to the Title Game: A Quick Look Back
Here’s how the bracket shook out leading up to the championship game:
First Round
- (9) Alabama 34, (8) Oklahoma 24 - Norman, OK
- (10) Miami 10, (7) Texas A&M 3 - College Station, TX
- (6) Ole Miss 41, (11) Tulane 10 - Oxford, MS
- (5) Oregon 51, (12) James Madison 34 - Eugene, OR
Quarterfinals
- Cotton Bowl: (10) Miami 24, (2) Ohio State 14 - Arlington, TX
- Orange Bowl: (5) Oregon 23, (4) Texas Tech 0 - Miami Gardens, FL
- Rose Bowl: (1) Indiana 38, (9) Alabama 3 - Pasadena, CA
- Sugar Bowl: (6) Ole Miss 39, (3) Georgia 34 - New Orleans, LA
Semifinals
- Fiesta Bowl: (10) Miami 31, (6) Ole Miss 27 - Glendale, AZ
- Peach Bowl: (1) Indiana 56, (5) Oregon 22 - Atlanta, GA
Now, It’s All on the Line
What makes this matchup so compelling isn’t just the stakes-it’s the contrast. Indiana’s been dominant, methodical, and consistent.
Miami’s been opportunistic, unpredictable, and fearless. One team has looked like a machine; the other, a team of destiny.
Come Monday night, the dust will settle, and one of these programs will etch its name into college football lore. Whether it’s Indiana completing a perfect season or Miami turning a late-season surge into a title on home soil, this national championship is already one for the ages.