College football is basically in a fever dream right now. If you're looking for college bowl game scores today, you’ve probably noticed the dust has mostly settled, but the intensity hasn't. We are currently sitting in that weird, quiet pocket between the chaotic semifinals and the monster National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium.
Honestly, it’s a lot to keep track of.
The 2025-26 bowl cycle was a total wrecking ball to the traditional power structure. We saw the big-name "blue bloods" get punched in the mouth while programs that were dormant for decades suddenly woke up and chose violence. Indiana is playing for a title. Let that sink in for a second. Curt Cignetti has the Hoosiers at 15-0. It sounds like a Madden franchise mode glitch, but it’s real life.
The Scoreboard That Changed Everything
If you missed the New Year's Day and early January massacre, you missed some of the most lopsided (and shocking) results in CFP history. Most people expected Alabama to do "Alabama things" in the Rose Bowl. Instead, top-seeded Indiana treated them like a scout team.
The final score was 38-3.
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Fernando Mendoza, the kid who came out of nowhere to lead this offense, threw three touchdowns. It wasn't just a win; it was a 60-minute interrogation of the SEC's dominance.
Then you’ve got Miami. The Hurricanes have been "back" so many times it's become a meme, but Mario Cristobal finally found the recipe. They didn't just win; they survived a gauntlet. They knocked off Texas A&M 10-3 in a game that felt like a bar fight in a hurricane, then bullied Ohio State 24-14 in the Cotton Bowl.
College Bowl Game Scores Today: The Heavy Hitters Recap
While we wait for the January 19th showdown, here is the breakdown of the scores that actually matter from this cycle. Forget the fluff. These are the games that defined the season.
The CFP Semifinals
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- Peach Bowl: Indiana 56, Oregon 22. This was supposed to be a track meet. It ended up being a demolition derby. Oregon’s defense had no answer for the Hoosiers’ tempo.
- Fiesta Bowl: Miami 31, Ole Miss 27. Carson Beck, the Georgia transfer, cemented his legacy here. He scrambled for a three-yard touchdown in the closing seconds to keep the U’s title hopes alive.
The New Year’s Six and Key Bowls
- Sugar Bowl: Ole Miss 39, Georgia 34. A revenge game for the ages. Pete Golding’s defense actually held up in the fourth quarter, which is saying something given how Georgia usually closes games.
- Orange Bowl: Oregon 23, Texas Tech 0. The Ducks bounced back from the Indiana loss with a shutout. Rare to see a zero on the scoreboard in this era.
- Citrus Bowl: Texas 41, Michigan 27. Arch Manning finally looked like the heir to the throne. He accounted for four total touchdowns, making the Wolverines' defense look surprisingly slow.
Why Nobody is Talking About the Mid-Tier Upsets
Everyone focuses on the playoff, but the "smaller" bowls were where the real money was made—or lost. Look at the Pop-Tarts Bowl. BYU was down 21-10 in the fourth quarter against Georgia Tech. They looked dead. Then, out of nowhere, they rattle off 15 unanswered points to win 25-21.
That’s college football.
Or look at the New Mexico Bowl. North Texas 49, San Diego State 47. If you like defense, you hated this game. If you like points and chaos, it was the best three hours of your week. Drew Mestemaker and Caleb Hawkins basically played a game of "anything you can do, I can do better" until the clock finally ran out.
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What’s Left on the Calendar?
Technically, the "today" aspect of college bowl game scores is a bit of a misnomer if you’re looking for live action on January 17th. We are in the "Media Day" and "Final Prep" phase. The big one—No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 10 Miami—kicks off Monday, January 19, at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN.
Indiana is an 8.5-point favorite. That feels high for a Miami team that just beat Ohio State and Ole Miss back-to-back, doesn't it? The betting public seems to think the Hoosiers are unstoppable, but Miami’s defense has 47 sacks on the year.
Wait, what about the All-Star games?
If you're a draft nerd, the East-West Shrine Bowl is coming up on January 27, followed by the Senior Bowl on the 31st. That’s where you’ll see the guys from the scores above trying to earn a paycheck in the NFL.
Actionable Insights for the National Championship
If you're following these scores to get an edge on the title game, keep these three things in mind.
- Watch the Trenches: Indiana’s offensive line hasn't allowed a sack in the last two games. Miami’s defensive front is the best in the country. Something has to give.
- The Beck Factor: Carson Beck has been through the playoff ringer before with Georgia. Mendoza (Indiana) is the Heisman winner, but he’s never been on this stage.
- The Turnover Margin: Miami won the Cotton Bowl because they forced five interceptions. If they don't get at least two on Monday, Indiana's offense will likely move the ball at will.
Keep an eye on the injury reports over the next 48 hours. Most of the players who sat out the earlier bowls for "opt-outs" are obviously out of the picture, but depth in the secondary for both title contenders is currently thin.
To get ready for the kickoff, you should verify the final injury status of Miami's star linebacker, who was limping late in the Fiesta Bowl. Knowing if he's at 100% will tell you everything you need to know about whether Indiana can run the ball effectively.