As the college football season closes out, a new champion will be crowned, solidifying themselves in the CFB Hall of Fame. Indiana, an unlikely team that’s dominated all season with an undefeated record and the number one seed in the playoffs, is the team to beat. Their opponent, Miami, holding the tenth seed, has had a grueling course to through the playoffs. They’ve routed teams like the number two seeded defending champions Ohio State, the fifth seeded Texas A&M, and even the sixth-seeded Ole Miss in order to take their shot and dethrone Indiana and complete the greatest Cinderella run in CFP history.
Both teams have very star-studded rosters, Indiana holds the Heisman award winner in QB Fernando Mendoza, along with CB D’Angelo Ponds and WR Omar Cooper. Miami holds one of the best defenses in CFB, led by projected top ten NFL draft pick EDGE Rueben Bain Jr., and on the offensive end, QB Carson Beck and OT Francis Mauigoa. With the championship on the line, both teams would have to play their best football against their toughest opponent yet.
Quarter one started off rather uneventful as neither team scored, however the action picked up at the start of the second with Indiana scoring a field goal to take the lead. After forcing a stop over Miami, Indiana scored the first touchdown run of the game by TE Riley Nowakowski. At the end of the half, Miami attempted a 50-yard field goal, but it doinked off the post. Indiana came into the break with a somewhat comfortable 10-0 lead, however, Miami’s RB Mark Fletcher Jr. had other plans, scoring a 57-yard touchdown run to end the shutout. Afterwards, when Miami was attempting to punt, Indiana LB Isaiah Jones blocked the punt and then returned it for touchdown.
Mark Fletcher Jr. landed yet another touchdown on the first drive of the fourth quarter, making the score 17-14. Then, after two straight risky fourth down conversions for Indiana, it was none other than Fernando Mendoza who ran in yet another Indiana touchdown, expanding the lead to ten points. Miami QB Carson Beck and WR Malachi Toney then connected with each other twice, once for a 41-yard pass and then for a 22-yard touchdown catch to give the Hurricanes a chance at completing the comeback. Indiana, who was up by only three at the time, were able to march down the field and score another field goal to expand that unsafe lead to six. Miami needed a touchdown in the last couple minutes of the game to secure the championship, however in a do or die scenario for Miami, Carson Beck threw the game-losing interception to Indiana DB Jamari Sharpe.
With that, the Indiana Hoosiers were national champions for the first time in school history, completing the greatest program turnaround in CFB history after being 3-9 just two seasons ago.
