Look, if you had told me back in August that we’d be heading into the final game of the season with these specific what teams are in the college football playoffs storylines, I probably would’ve laughed you out of the room. This year has been absolute, unadulterated chaos. Honestly, it's what we wanted from the 12-team expansion, right? We wanted the drama, the upsets, and the small-town heroes. Boy, did we get it.
Right now, we are down to the final two. After a month of high-stakes December and January football, only No. 1 Indiana and No. 10 Miami remain. Yeah, you read that correctly. Indiana. At No. 1.
How the 12-Team Bracket Shook Out
The original field of 12 was a wild mix of the usual suspects and a few "wait, who?" additions. Basically, the selection committee gave us a bracket that felt like a fever dream. The top four seeds, who earned that precious first-round bye, were Indiana, Ohio State, Georgia, and Texas Tech. Seeing Texas Tech in that top four was the first sign that 2025-26 wasn't going to follow the script.
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Then you had the first-rounders. These were the teams that had to fight it out on campus sites just to get to the New Year's bowls. We saw Oregon, Ole Miss, Texas A&M, Oklahoma, Alabama, Miami, Tulane, and James Madison. Seeing James Madison in there was incredible for the Sun Belt, even if their stay was short-lived.
The First Round Survivors
The opening weekend on December 19-20 was a bloodbath. No. 9 Alabama went into Norman and took down No. 8 Oklahoma 34-24. Miami started their underdog "Cinderella" run by grinding out a 10-3 win over Texas A&M at Kyle Field—a game that was basically played in a wind tunnel. Ole Miss handled Tulane easily (41-10), and Oregon put up 51 points on James Madison.
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The Giant Killers of the Quarterfinals
The quarterfinals on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day were where the bracket really broke. If you were betting on the "traditional powers," you probably lost some cash.
- The Miami Upset: In the Cotton Bowl, No. 10 Miami faced off against No. 2 Ohio State. The Buckeyes were the defending national champions, and most people figured they’d sleepwalk into the semifinals. Instead, Miami’s defense suffocated them, winning 24-14.
- Indiana's Statement: Over at the Rose Bowl, Indiana didn't just beat Alabama; they dismantled them. A 38-3 scoreline in Pasadena? It felt like the world had flipped upside down.
- The Rebels Rise: No. 6 Ole Miss took down No. 3 Georgia 39-34 in a Sugar Bowl shootout.
- Oregon's Shutout: The Ducks proved they were for real by blanking Texas Tech 23-0 in the Orange Bowl.
The Final Matchup: Indiana vs. Miami
So, here we are. The dust has settled after the semifinals. Miami barely escaped Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl with a 31-27 win, thanks to a last-second touchdown scramble by Carson Beck. Meanwhile, Indiana continued their path of destruction by hanging 56 points on Oregon in the Peach Bowl.
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When people ask what teams are in the college football playoffs today, the answer is just these two. It’s a matchup nobody predicted, but honestly, it’s exactly what the sport needed. We have an undefeated No. 1 Indiana team (15-0) led by Curt Cignetti, a guy who has turned that program into a juggernaut in record time. On the other side, we have a No. 10 Miami team that has won three straight games as an underdog.
Why This Game Matters
It’s the first time both programs have ever made a National Championship appearance in the CFP era. Miami is technically the "home" team since the game is at Hard Rock Stadium, but they are the lower seed. Indiana is a 7.5-point favorite, which is wild considering their history, but they’ve earned every bit of that respect.
Actionable Insights for the National Championship
If you're planning on watching or betting on the final game on January 19, here’s what you need to keep in mind:
- Watch the Trenches: Indiana’s offensive line has been the best in the country, but Miami’s defensive front is the reason they beat Ohio State and Texas A&M.
- The Carson Beck Factor: Miami's QB has been "clutch" all through the playoffs. If the game is close in the fourth quarter, don't bet against him.
- The Crowd Dynamic: Even though Miami is the No. 10 seed, playing at Hard Rock Stadium is a massive advantage. Expect a sea of orange and green.
- Secure Your Gear: If you're a Hoosier or Hurricane fan, buy your championship merchandise now; stocks are already thinning out in local stores.
- Tune In: The game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. EST on ESPN. Set your DVRs or clear your schedule because this is history in the making.
The 2025-26 season has proven that the expanded playoff works. It gave us Miami's miracle run and Indiana's rise to dominance. No matter who wins on Monday night, the landscape of college football has changed forever.