The 2026 National Championship Game features the 13-2 Miami Hurricanes and the 15-0 Indiana Hoosiers. Here is the 2026 National Championship Game Preview.
Miami won 10 games to make their first College Football Playoff. They defeated four bowl-eligible teams in the regular season: Notre Dame, USF, NC State and Pitt. Both of their losses, to Louisville and SMU, were to teams that made bowl games. They defeated Texas A&M on the road to advance to the Cotton Bowl, then defeated Ohio State. In the CFP semifinal, they had a clutch drive at the end to knock off Ole Miss.
The Hurricanes score 31.6 points per game, ranking 3oth in the country. They pass for 254.6 yards (ranked 38th) and rush for 154.6 yards (ranked 72nd) per game.
Carson Beck transferred to Miami from Georgia and has played well, but did struggle in the first CFP game against Texas A&M before playing better against OSU. He has passed for 3,681 yards, 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions on 73.3 percent completion. Three players have over 350 receiving yards for the Hurricanes. Malachi Toney has been a game-changer as a freshman with 99 catches for 1,089 yards and nine touchdowns. Keelan Marion and CJ Daniels have also been solid with 740 and 495 receiving yards, respectively.
Three running backs have over 350 rushing yards on the season. Mark Fletcher Jr. has been the starter, putting up 1,080 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. CharMar Brown and Girard Pringle Jr. have chipped in with 469 and 375 yards apiece.
Defensively, the Hurricanes give up 14.0 points per game, ranking fifth in the country. They allow 206.1 passing yards (ranked 45th) and 86.5 rushing yards (ranked sixth) per game. Mohamed Toure has the team lead with 73 tackles. Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain Jr. make a solid pass-rushing duo with NFL potential, with 10.5 and 8.5 sacks apiece. Jakobe Thomas has made plays in the secondary with six passes defended and five interceptions.
Indiana went undefeated to make their second-straight CFP. They defeated seven bowl-eligible teams this season: Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, Illinois, Iowa, Oregon, Penn State and Ohio State. Their undefeated record earned them the No. 1 seed and a first-round bye. They dominated Alabama in the Rose Bowl to advance to the semifinal, then kept things rolling against Oregon.
The Hoosiers score 42.6 points per game, ranking third in the nation. They pass for 242.7 yards (ranked 54th) and rush for 218.3 yards (ranked 12th) per game.
Fernando Mendoza transferred in from Cal and had a great season for the Hoosiers, as he won the Heisman Trophy. He has passed for 3,349 yards, 41 touchdowns and six interceptions on 73.0 percent completion. Five players have at least 300 receiving yards on the season for the Hoosiers. Omar Cooper has been the leading receiver with 64 catches for 866 yards and 13 touchdowns. Elijah Sarratt missed some time, but still played well with 62 catches for 802 yards and 15 touchdowns.
Five running backs were able to rush for 200 yards on the season. Roman Hemby, a Maryland transfer, has rushed for 1,060 yards and seven touchdowns. Kaelon Black has created some big plays, rushing for 961 yards and 10 touchdowns.
Defensively, the Hoosiers allow 11.1 points per game, ranking second in the country. They give up 185.9 passing yards (ranked 23rd) and 75.0 rushing yards (ranked second) per game. Rolijah Hardy leads the team with 99 total tackles and also has the team-high with eight sacks. Amare Ferrell has shown ball skills with six passes defended and four interceptions, while D’Angelo Ponds has been elite with seven passes defended and two interceptions.
Indiana is a juggernaut of a team. They run the ball well, play good defense and are efficient through the air. The Hoosiers don’t make many mistakes and capitalize on other teams’ mistakes. They can force Carson Beck into mistakes and can win the game because of it.
Indiana Hoosiers 31 Miami Hurricanes 21
Make sure to check out our college football page for more content like 2026 National Championship Game Preview!
You can like The Game Haus on Facebook and follow us on Twitter for more sports and esports articles from great TGH writers!
Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.
