CFP title game preview: Get set for Indiana-Miami showdown

The 2025 college football season began in Ireland in August and will end Monday in South Florida, where Indiana and Miami will battle for the national championship.

The Hoosiers enter as the unquestioned No. 1 team in the country and are looking for the program's first national title. The Hurricanes used to be a mainstay in championship circles but are eyeing the team's first trophy since 2001.

Here's all you need to know to get set for the blockbuster matchup.

No. 1 Indiana

Coach: Curt Cignetti
Record: 15-0
Points per game: 42.6 (2nd nationally)
Points allowed: 11.1 (2nd)
Scoring margin: 28.6 (1st)
Playoff wins: vs. Alabama, vs. Oregon
National titles: Zero

No. 10 Miami

Coach: Mario Cristobal
Record: 13-2
Points per game: 31.6 (30th nationally)
Points allowed: 14 (5th)
Scoring margin: 15.9 (7th)
Playoff wins: at Texas A&M, vs. Ohio State, vs. Ole Miss
National titles: Five

Featured analysis

Indiana shouldn't be here; then Cignetti showed up

In a world crippled by people getting caught up in the moment, it still doesn't feel like a stretch to say Curt Cignetti has orchestrated the greatest turnaround in college football history. When Cignetti took the job two years ago, Indiana held the dubious distinction of having more losses than any FBS program. The results since then have been nothing short of a miracle, with a 26-2 romp through the sport. For years, football served as something to do in Indiana until basketball season started. Now, Cignetti is one win away from completing a fairytale not even Hollywood could script. Read more.

Cristo-Ball finally has 'The U' back where it belongs

While Indiana's excellence on the football field is a new phenomenon, Miami has long been synonymous with college football excellence. Or at least, it once was. The Hurricanes' decades of dominance between 1983 and 2003 are up there with the best we've ever seen in the sport. However, the 2001 national championship remains the last title the program has won, and the question "Is The U back?" became an annual punchline. That changed when Mario Cristobal came home to his alma mater to get Miami back on top. It took four years, but this version of Cristo-ball is exactly what the Canes needed. Read more.

3 battles that will decide the CFP title

Monday's matchup should be a slugfest with two of the nation's top defensive units on display. Indiana's defensive front has dominated all season, leading the nation in tackles for loss and already holding Alabama and Oregon down this postseason. However, the Hurricanes boast a massive offensive line, averaging 53 pounds heavier per player than the Hoosiers' front four. That's one of three key battles that should decide the outcome of this year's national title. Read more.

Can Miami pull off the upset?

Betting analysis

National championship bets: Is Indiana inevitable?

If the title game looks anything like the rest of the playoffs, Indiana will be leaving Miami with its first national championship. The Hoosiers dominated Alabama and Oregon, winning by an average of 34.5 points to emphatically book their place in Monday's contest. The Hurricanes' best chance at an upset will be their ferocious pass rush playing off the home crowd. See our game pick and several props that we're targeting for the matchup. Read more.

Indiana 7.5-point favorite over Miami

Before Indiana played Oregon in the semifinal, the Hoosiers were projected as 5.5-point favorites over Miami in a potential title game. But an adjustment is bound to happen when you hang 56 on the Ducks in a 34-point win. Indiana's performance moved the line by two points, bringing it over a touchdown. This marks the third time in the last four national championships that a team has been favored by at least a touchdown. Read more.