The 2025 College Football Playoff National Championship takes place on Monday in Miami with the Indiana Hoosiers looking to finish the season perfect against the Miami Hurricanes. Fernando Mendoza has a chance to cap off a near-perfect season with Indiana by doing the unthinkable and winning a national championship. 

Miami on the other side has Carson Beck and a stingy defense hoping to continue doing what they’ve done all postseason — and that is play winning football. Beck’s decision to go to Miami earned him a big payday, but he’s just one win away from winning it all. Not many had Beck doing that, and we can all admit that.

Here’s how the crew at A to Z Sports sees the final college football game of the season shaking out. 

Indiana 31, Miami 20

Indiana has proven to everyone this year that they are for real and that they can play with the big dogs of college football. Wins over Ohio State, Alabama, and a pair of wins over Oregon this season just show how far the Hoosiers program has come. Fernando Mendoza has a chance to add a national championship to his Heisman Trophy accolade — then he very well will be the No. 1 pick in April.

Miami proved they’re back to relevancy and they’ve put together an impressive run into the final game. Carson Beck’s leap to Miami has paid off in every way possible from raising his draft stock into potentially a Day 2 pick — and now a chance at a national championship. In the end, I think it’s written that Indiana becomes the most incredible story in college football for what they did in the 2025 season to become one of the top programs. The Hoosiers control this one most of the way. — Brandon Little

Indiana 27, Miami 20

Indiana is just too good on both sides of the ball not to win this game. They are the better all-around team. That’s not to say that Miami’s defense can’t take over this game, because it can. However, the Hoosiers have an elite offense that is capable of getting the ball down the field by any means necessary, even against elite defenses. I think the Hoosiers control this game in the trenches, on both sides of the ball, and cruise to a win. — Justin Churchill 

Indiana 27, Miami 24

Indiana’s run has been historic this year and it won’t stop now. Their offense led by Heisman Trophy winner, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, has been on an absolute heater. Outside of the Big Ten Championship game where Indiana only managed 13 points, they have scored 56, 38, 56, 31, 27, 55, 56, 38, and 30 since the start of October. The Hoosiers may not have the most “raw talent” on offense, but Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper have almost assuredly earned themselves some decent NFL Draft capital with their absurdly impressive play this year.

Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor will wreak havoc once again off the edge for Miami. Mark Fletcher will make his physical presence felt all game. The Miami offensive line with a couple of draft picks on it will likely win in the trenches for a good portion of the game. Still, quarterback Carson Beck will make an extra mistake or two (as he’s been prone to in close games this season), leading to a late downfall for the Hurricanes. Miami has done a good job of hiding its deficiencies throughout the playoff, but that stops here. 27-24 Indiana. — Travis May

Indiana 23 Miami 17

What a wild ride the 2025 college football season has been. It has all led to one final matchup between two incredible stories, each looking for the perfect ending. The Indiana Hoosiers, looking to go from one of the worst power-five football programs the country has ever seen, and the Miami Hurricanes, looking to tell the world they are officially back. Only one can have the storybook ending, and I’m going to side with the Hoosiers, who have consistently been one of, if not the best, teams in the country this season. I think the Hoosiers find a way to force Carson Beck into multiple mistakes, and they’ve shown they can capitalize on any mistake another team makes. I think that will be the difference and help slow down Miami’s dynamic rushing attack, which could potentially give Indiana fits. — Destin Adams

Indiana 27, Miami 20

Many favor Indiana heading into the big game, and it’s understandable why. Curt Cignetti’s team doesn’t seem to have a major hole, while also feeling a bit like a team of destiny to a degree. Miami does have the formula, however, to make this a bit of an ugly game. That is their recipe for success, keeping the score down and letting the trenches wear down. In the end, Hoosier quarterback Fernando Mendoza has a big advantage over his counterpart, Carson Beck. Look for Mendoza to make a couple of big plays when it matters most. That’ll end up being the difference in the football game. — Ryan Roberts

Miami 22, Indiana 19

The Hurricanes, in my opinion, will be the toughest test the Hoosiers have had all year. Miami is the only team with the trench play and quarterback experience that can truly challenge the Hoosiers. A lot of people will point to Miami’s home-field advantage as well, though I am not as bullish on that due to the ticket price and alumni base for the Hoosiers.

"He's ripping it all over the place and leading that team to high-level victories. … He's like an elite human being, an elite competitor."

Miami Hurricanes head coach Mario Cristobal on Carson Beck ahead of the national championship ?

(via @PatMcAfeeShow) pic.twitter.com/YQzbKSMvgW

— ESPN College Football (@ESPNCFB) January 16, 2026

What I am bullish on is the EDGE duo of Rueben Bain and Akheem Meisdor. Offensively, Malachi Toney is the toughest cover in college football right now, and the run game of the Hurricanes, powered by potential top-10 pick Francis Mauigoa at RT and Mark Fletcher in the backfield, is arguably the best the Hoosiers have seen. I don’t think it will be easy, but I’m betting on the Hurricanes to get it done. — Rob Gregson

Indiana 30, Miami 20

Excited for this matchup on multiple levels. Will Miami be able to slow down Fernando Mendoza? Can the Hoosiers’ run defense keep a lid on Mark Fletcher Jr. out of the backfield? Feels like those two concepts will decide our national champion from this season. I think it’s nearly impossible to choose against Curt Cignetti’s team right now, though. Fresh off a blowout win over Oregon, they’re flying high on both sides of the ball with a veteran group of talent. While Miami has surprised everyone with this run, I’m going to take the Heisman winner over Carson Beck here. Too much is going right for the Hoosiers right now. — Adam Holt

Miami 24, Indiana 23

The Indiana Hoosiers look like a machine this playoff, steamrolling over Alabama and Oregon.  Those two dominant performances are a big reason why many are picking Indiana, and some had prisoner-of-the-moment comments during or shortly after the Hoosiers’ win over the Ducks about Miami not standing a chance or questioning how the Hurricanes can win. 

How the Hurricanes win is getting the Hoosiers down into a rock fight.  The Hurricanes are built to do just that with a ball-control offense that does not get behind the sticks.  Four, five, six yard first down runs have kept Miami on schedule, just as they did in their 24-14 win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl.  The Buckeyes were a chip-shot field goal miss from likely going to overtime against Indiana, and Miami handled those Buckeyes physically. 

The Hoosiers have stood up well against just about everybody.  On Monday night, the Hurricanes will show they’re not just anybody, particularly on the lines of scrimmage.  Miami controls the pace of the game with extended scoring drives, the defense generates just enough pressure to get Fernando Mendoza and the Hoosiers off the field, and the Hurricanes claim their sixth national title in front of their fans in a true classic. — Craig Smith 

Indiana 45, Miami 20

Considering the Hoosiers have the Heisman Trophy winner in Fernando Mendoza, you’d think he would be the biggest factor on Monday night. The reality is that Mendoza is the result of Indiana’s elite trench play. Against the Alabama Crimson Tide and Oregon Ducks, they outscored their opponents 94-25 due to domination on both the offensive and defensive lines. It shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see the Hoosiers hold down the fort against the Hurricanes’ Rueben Bain Jr. and win this game with ease.

Also, the Hoosiers are 4-0 against Top 10 teams this year, winning those games by an average of 20.5 points. If this Indiana team were the Ohio State Buckeyes, LSU Tigers, or Alabama, the conversation would be about them being one of the best college football teams of all-time. — Tyler Forness 

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