You woke up, grabbed your coffee, and started scrolling for the ncaa football today games schedule. You're ready for some Sunday afternoon chaos. But here is the weird truth: there isn’t a single college football game happening today, January 18, 2026.
None.
It feels wrong, right? Especially with the NFL Divisional Round sucking up all the oxygen with the Texans, Patriots, Rams, and Bears taking the field. But college football is currently in that strange, vibrating silence that happens exactly 24 hours before the biggest game of the year. We are standing in the eye of the hurricane.
While the scoreboard stays dark today, the entire sport is actually hyper-caffeinated and frantic behind the scenes in Miami. Here is what is actually going on while you wait for the real action to resume.
The Monday Night Elephant in the Room
So, why are there no ncaa football today games? It’s because the schedule-makers moved everything to tomorrow night, January 19. We are looking at a National Championship matchup that basically nobody—and I mean nobody—predicted back in August.
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It’s No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 10 Miami.
Honestly, if you told a college football fan two years ago that Indiana would be the top seed in a 12-team playoff, they would have checked you for a fever. But Curt Cignetti has pulled off a miracle in Bloomington. He took a program that literally had the most losses in the history of the sport and turned them into a 15-0 juggernaut.
Today is "Media Day" and final walkthroughs. While you’re watching the NFL playoffs, Cignetti and Miami’s Mario Cristobal are doing the final "grip and grin" photos with the trophy at Hard Rock Stadium. The tension is basically a physical weight in South Florida right now.
Why Indiana is actually the favorite
Most people see the "U" on the helmet and assume Miami is the blue blood here. They sort of are, but they haven't won a title since 2001. Indiana, meanwhile, is laying 8.5 points according to the latest Vegas lines. They aren't just winning; they are erasing people.
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- The Cignetti Factor: He just doesn't lose.
- The Roster: It’s a mix of loyalists and high-level portal adds that gelled instantly.
- The Pressure: Miami is playing at "home" at Hard Rock, but Indiana has the momentum of a runaway freight train.
What to Watch Since the Schedule is Empty
Since you can't watch ncaa football today games, you should probably be looking at the Transfer Portal. It is absolutely exploding today.
While the championship teams are locked in their hotels, the rest of the country is in a recruiting war. For instance, Ole Miss coach Pete Golding is currently sitting on the No. 2 transfer class in the nation. He just landed Jordan Renaud, a massive defensive line get from Alabama.
It’s a weird era. Coaches are being hired and fired while the season is technically still going. Kentucky just brought in Will Stein to replace Mark Stoops. That's the kind of news you'll find today instead of a kickoff. It's the "offseason" for 132 teams and "Judgement Day" for two.
The NFL overshadowing Sunday
The reason we don't have college games on Sundays in January is simple: the NFL. The league owns this day. With the Texans and Patriots playing at 3:00 PM ET on ABC/ESPN, followed by the Rams and Bears on NBC, the NCAA knows better than to try and compete for eyeballs.
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Even the basketball schedule is trying to fill the void. You've got Texas A&M playing Texas and UCLA taking on Maryland. If you're desperate for that "campus vibe," that’s your best bet today.
Looking Ahead to the National Championship
Tomorrow is the big one. Monday, Jan 19, at 7:30 PM ET on ESPN.
This isn't just another game. It’s the validation of the 12-team playoff format. We have a No. 10 seed (Miami) that fought through the bracket and a No. 1 seed (Indiana) that proved the Big Ten is more than just Ohio State and Michigan.
The storylines are almost too much. Miami's quarterback Fernando Mendoza has become a Heisman-level star. Indiana's defense hasn't allowed more than 20 points in a month. Something has to give.
What you need to do for tomorrow
- Clear your Monday night: Kickoff is at 7:30 PM ET sharp.
- Check your TV sub: It’s on ESPN, but there will be about 10 different "megacast" options on various channels.
- Watch the lines: That 8.5-point spread for Indiana is hefty. If it drops to 7, the "smart money" might be moving toward the Hurricanes.
Don't let the lack of ncaa football today games get you down. The sport is just catching its breath before the loudest Monday night in years. If you need a football fix right now, turn on the NFL divisional games and keep an eye on the ticker for those last-minute injury reports coming out of Miami.
Prepare your watch party for tomorrow. If Indiana actually pulls this off, we are witnessing the single greatest turnaround in the history of American sports. You won't want to miss the kickoff at Hard Rock Stadium.