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JUMP TO:
- Miami vs. Indiana score
- Miami vs. Indiana highlights
- How to watch 2026 CFP championship
- College Football Playoff schedule 2026
At Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night, college football’s past and future collide in the 2026 College Football Playoff national championship. After all the chaos since August — from record-breaking performances to historic upsets to the seismic realignment of the sport's power structure — there are two teams remaining, and it is the perfect pair to play for a title under the lights in Miami.
On one sideline stands the top-ranked and undefeated Indiana Hoosiers. Just two years ago, this was the 'losingest' program in Power Four history. Then came Curt Cignetti, who famously told the world to 'Google him' because all he does is win. Cignetti hasn't just turned the program around — he has engineered a two-year stretch unlike anything the sport has ever seen.
Behind Indiana's first-ever Heisman Trophy winner, Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers have become a clinical machine, capturing their first Big Ten title since 1945 and achieving a No. 1 ranking that felt impossible only a few years ago. As Cignetti famously said, they don't just win; they "beat the s— out of them." Now, they look to become the first team in major college football history to finish a season 16-0.
Across the field, playing in their home stadium — though designated as the road team — are the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes. After two decades of searching for an identity, Mario Cristobal has finally restored the championship DNA to Coral Gables. Led by veteran quarterback Carson Beck and a ferocious defensive front that leads the nation in sacks, Miami has bullied its way through the playoff bracket.
The storylines are as deep as the rosters. Mendoza, the Heisman winner, grew up less than a mile from the UM campus and attended the same high school as Cristobal. The ties are intergenerational: Mendoza’s father was a high school teammate of Cristobal’s, and his mother was a standout tennis player for the Hurricanes. Tonight, the kid who was once passed over by his hometown program returns to South Florida as the most decorated player in the country, aiming to spoil Miami's homecoming.
This matchup is a collision of two incredible journeys: the Cignetti Revolution, which turned a historical underdog into a juggernaut, and the Miami Restoration, which returned the swagger to 'The U.' One is fighting to rewrite the record books; the other is fighting to reclaim a throne. Tonight, the storybook runs come to an end, and only one team gets to write the final sentence in championship gold.
The Sporting News is tracking live scoring updates and highlights for Miami vs. Indiana in the 2026 CFP national championship game. Follow below for complete results from the College Football Playoff finale.
STREAM: Watch Indiana vs. Miami live with Fubo (free trial)
Miami vs. Indiana football score
SN's PLAYOFF HQ: Live CFP scores | Updated CFP bracket | Full CFP schedule
Miami vs. Indiana live updates, highlights from 2026 CFP championship game
All times ET.
This section will be updated closer to kickoff on Jan. 19, 2026.
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How to watch 2026 College Football Playoff championship
Miami vs. Indiana start time
- Date: Monday, Jan. 19
- Time: 7:30 p.m. ET, 4:30 p.m. PT
The College Football Playoff National Championship will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET from Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
While Miami is playing in its own backyard, the Hurricanes are actually the designated road team for this matchup. This marks the first time a team has played for the modern national title in its own stadium since the 1995 Orange Bowl. For Indiana, this is a historic debut; the Hoosiers have never played in this venue, making their first-ever trip to Hard Rock Stadium one with the ultimate stakes.
What channel is Miami vs. Indiana on today?
- TV channel: ESPN
- Live stream: Fubo
The National Championship will be broadcast nationally on ESPN. The network's lead team of Chris Fowler (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (color commentator) will be on the call, joined by reporters Holly Rowe and Molly McGrath on the sidelines.
ESPN will also feature its signature Megacast for the title game, offering a variety of alternate viewing experiences:
- Field Pass with Pat McAfee (ESPN2)
- Command Center (ESPNU)
- Skycast & All-22 (ESPN App)
- Spanish Language Broadcast (ESPN Deportes)
Fans looking to stream the game can turn to Fubo, which often offers a free trial to new users.
College Football Playoff schedule 2026
Dec. 19
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| First-Round CFP game | Alabama 34, Oklahoma 24 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
Dec. 20
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| First-Round CFP game | Miami 10, Texas A&M 3 | 12 p.m. | TNT |
| First-Round CFP game | Ole Miss 41, Tulane 10 | 4 p.m. | TNT |
| First-Round CFP game | Oregon 51, James Madison 34 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
Dec. 31
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| Cotton Bowl Classic (quarterfinal) | Miami 24, Ohio State 14 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
Jan. 1
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| Capital One Orange Bowl (quarterfinal) | Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0 | 12 p.m. | ESPN |
| Rose Bowl Game (quarterfinal) | Indiana 38, Alabama 3 | 4 p.m. | ESPN |
| Allstate Sugar Bowl (quarterfinal) | Ole Miss 39, Georgia 34 | 8 p.m. | ESPN |
Jan. 8
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (semifinal) | Miami 31, Ole Miss 27 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
Jan. 9
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (semifinal) | Indiana 56, Oregon 22 | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
Jan. 19
| Game | Matchup | Time (ET) | TV |
| CFP National championship | Indiana vs. Miami | 7:30 p.m. | ESPN |
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