Theo Diesenhaus, Assistant Sports Editor: 

The Indiana Hoosiers will finish off their magical run on Monday night, Jan. 18, with a national championship victory over the Miami Hurricanes. Coming into the 2025 college football season, the Hoosiers were not favored to make the playoffs and were ranked 20th in the college football standings. Despite being ranked low, Indiana had a solid 2024 season with new head coach Curt Cignetti and looked to build on their 11-2 record. This year, they did more than just build, having an undefeated regular season and defeating the 2024 National Champion Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten Championship on Dec. 6. Now, the Hoosiers have an opportunity to win a national championship and change the narrative on college football in Indiana forever. 

The common saying “defense wins championships” is something that teams across professional and college football take to heart, and Indiana is no exception. The Hoosiers’ defense is one of the best in the country and has shut down every offense that they faced. That includes limiting Heisman finalist, Julian Sayin, and the Buckeyes, to a measly 10 points in the Big Ten Championship. No team is too daunting for this Cignetti-led defense, which has only surrendered over 20 points twice, one of which was in a game they won by 30 points. While Miami’s offense, led by quarterback Carson Beck, has been good this year, they have yet to face anyone as skilled as this Indiana defense. 

Indiana doesn’t just rely on great defense; they also have the best quarterback and Heisman winner, Fernando Mendoza, at the helm. The Heisman winner is projected to go number one in the 2026 NFL draft and is deserving of the honor, as Mendoza has been the primary reason for Indiana’s unexpected dominance in 2025. His 41-to-6 touchdown-to-interception ratio is the best in the Big Ten and his ability to make plays is what makes him so dangerous. In addition to Mendoza, Indiana has a fantastic one-two punch at running back with Roman Hemby and Kaelon Black rushing for north of 900 yards this season. Miami’s defense will not know what hit them after they face the Hoosiers’ persistent offensive attack.

I do not anticipate this game to be a close one, with Indiana clearly looking like an outstanding team all year long and Miami just scraping by in the playoffs this year. Although Miami has a talented squad, Indiana is just too good for them, and I believe that the Hoosiers are set up for destiny this season. 

Jeremy Moyer, Senior Staff Writer:

The Miami Hurricanes narrowly slipped into the playoffs at the tenth seed, and their magical run has seen them defeat the number two ranked Ohio State Buckeyes and the number six ranked Ole Miss Rebels. Now, they are faced with their toughest opponent yet, the number one ranked Indiana Hoosiers. Just like all their previous games, they are the heavy underdog, but will continue to prove everyone wrong and win their first national championship in 25 years. 

The foundation of Miami’s Cinderella run has been its top-five defense. This is a defense with stars all over the field, like projected top-ten pick in this upcoming NFL draft Rueben Bain Jr. This defensive lineman has been disruptive all year for the Hurricanes, helping them lead the nation in sacks with 47 and be top five in fewest points allowed per game with 14. If the Hurricanes want any chance against the Hoosiers, their defense will have to step up in pressuring and making quarterback Fernando Mendoza uncomfortable. 

Offensively, Miami brings balance and efficiency rather than pure explosiveness. Quarterback Carson Beck has been one of the better quarterbacks in the nation, ranking top ten in both yards and touchdowns, and second overall in completion percentage. Beck’s poise allows the Hurricanes’ offense to sustain long drives without turnovers, and that is often what allows teams to win national championships. Another significant part of Miami’s offense has been running back Mark Fletcher Jr. Fletcher has gotten hot in the playoffs, totaling 115 yards against the number one-ranked defense in Ohio State and 133 yards against Ole Miss in the semi-finals. Miami’s offense has averaged 409.2 yards per game this season, and to beat the Indiana Hoosiers, they will have to bring that same dominance that they have had all season. 

Another critical factor for this championship game is the setting. The game being played in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami gives a home-field advantage for the Hurricanes. In games as big as these, the crowd and environment can play a huge role in who comes out on top, and it wouldn’t be surprising if late in the game, the crowd propels Miami to the victory. 

It may be a long shot, but on Monday the number ten Miami Hurricanes will beat the number one Indiana Hoosiers to win their sixth national title in school history. It will be the great performances from their star-studded defense, their consistent offense and the energy from the crowd that will propel them to bring home the title of national champion.