National championship matchup is set. What to know about Miami’s opponent
The Miami Hurricanes’ College Football Playoff National Championship Game matchup is set.
The 10th-ranked Hurricanes (13-2) will face the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers (15-0) on Jan. 19 at Hard Rock Stadium — Miami’s home stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m., and the game will be broadcast on ESPN.
Here’s what you need to know about the matchup.
How both teams got here
Miami advanced to the national championship with three upset victories, defeating the No. 7 Texas A&M Aggies 10-3 in the first round on Dec. 20, the No. 2 Ohio State Buckeyes 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31 and the No. 6 Ole Miss Rebels 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl on Thursday.
Miami’s defense paved the way in the first two games, with UM tallying 16 tackles for loss and 12 sacks while forcing five turnovers (four interceptions, one fumble recovery) in the wins over Texas A&M and Ohio State.
Against Ole Miss, it was the offense that had to play hero, with quarterback Carson Beck leading two touchdown drives in the final seven minutes — including scoring the go-ahead 3-yard rushing touchdown with 18 seconds left — to hold off the Rebels.
Indiana earned the No. 1 seed in the 12-team field after going undefeated and winning the Big Ten championship. After receiving a first-round bye, the Hoosiers rolled past No. 9 Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1 and defeated No. 5 Oregon 56-22 in the Peach Bowl on Friday.
Indiana jumped out to a 35-7 halftime lead on Oregon and never looked back. The Hoosiers capitalized on three Ducks turnovers, first a D’Angelo Ponds interception returned for a touchdown on the first play of the game and then two fumble recoveries that gave Indiana the ball deep in Oregon territory and led to two more touchdowns.
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a Miami native and Columbus High alumnus who won the Heisman Trophy this season, completed 17 of 20 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns, three of which came in the first half. Running back Kaelon Black had two rushing touchdowns.
Team history
Miami is 1-1 all-time against Indiana, but the Hurricanes and Hoosiers haven’t played each other since 1966. Both meetings were in Miami.
What win would mean for each team
For the Hurricanes, it would be their sixth all-time national championship and first since the 2001 season. It would also mark the fourth time in school history they won the national championship while playing at home — also doing so in the 1983, 1987 and 1991 seasons.
For Indiana, it would be the program’s first-ever national title in football.
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