3 Instant Takeaways As Indiana Beats Miami For Cfp Title

MIAMI — One of Curt Cignetti's astir head-scratching moments became possibly nan biggest gamble, and biggest profit, successful Indiana shot history.

Leading 17-14 and facing a fourth-and-4 pinch conscionable nether nine-and-a-half minutes remaining successful nan 4th quarter, Cignetti took excessively overmuch clip to determine betwixt keeping his discourtesy connected nan section and kicking nan section goal. Then, he burned his 2nd timeout successful conscionable complete 2 minutes.

Cignetti decided to spell for it. Heisman Trophy-winning backmost Fernando Mendoza made him a brilliant — and a nationalist champion. (After conscionable a small spot of play to get there.)

The Hoosiers called a backmost draw, and Mendoza took disconnected done nan mediate of Miami's defense. He bounced disconnected a would-be tackler and dove into nan endzone to headdress a superhuman, game-changing 12-yard touchdown run.

The No. 1 Hoosiers (16-0) won their first nationalist title successful schoolhouse history, earning a 27-21victory complete No. 10 Miami (13-3) connected Monday nighttime astatine Hard Rock Stadium successful Miami Gardens.

Here are 3 instant takeaways from nan top nighttime successful Indiana shot history.

The Hoosiers spent this play acing tests and quieting doubts. On nan biggest stage, nether nan brightest lights, they faced their biggest test.

After Mendoza's touchdown run, Indiana's defense pushed Miami's backmost against nan wall. The Hurricanes faced a third-and-15 connected their ain 15 yards line.

Then, backmost Carson Beck deed tight extremity Alex Bauman for a 22-yard summation complete nan middle. The adjacent play, Beck recovered receiver Malachi Toney for a 41-yard catch-and-run.

Two plays thereafter, Toney took a hand-off 22 yards to nan endzone, trimming Miami's shortage to 24-21 pinch conscionable complete six-and-a-half minutes remaining.

Indiana's discourtesy ne'er flinched. Instead, nan Hoosiers marched downfield for a thrust that will everlastingly unrecorded successful infamy.

The scoreboard showed nan Hoosiers held a patient grasp, but nan stat-sheet showed a decease grip. Then, Miami collapsed free.

Indiana punted connected its first 3 possessions of nan 2nd half. Miami, meanwhile, scored connected 3 of its first 5 possessions. The Hurricanes outgained nan Hoosiers, who had small reply for Miami's discourtesy and surrendered an abundance of much large plays.

But it didn't matter.

After sophomore Charlie Becker's contested back-shoulder drawback moved nan chains connected third-and-7 pinch little than 3 minutes remaining and elder moving backmost Roman Hemby picked up a first down pinch a 10-yard transportation nan adjacent play, Indiana's discourtesy efficaciously sealed nan victory.

Indiana's emergence from irrelevance to nationalist prominence is unprecedented. Now, nan Hoosiers are knocking connected nan doorway of dominance.

The Hoosiers faced questions astir whether they'd beryllium capable to prolong occurrence aft going 11-2 successful 2024. They followed nan champion play successful programme history pinch an moreover amended year, 1 that ends successful confetti and perfection.

Indiana has a beardown transportation portal people connected its measurement and possibly nan nation's champion coach. It's adjacent to wager nan Hoosiers won't beryllium going anyplace successful nan adjacent future.