If you woke up today, Sunday, January 18, 2026, looking for a full slate of gridiron action, you might be feeling a little bit lost. It’s that weird, purgatory-like window in the sports calendar. The local bars are packed, the wings are frying, and the TVs are definitely tuned to football—but if you’re asking who is playing college football today, the honest answer is: basically nobody.
We are currently sitting in the eye of the hurricane.
The massive, chaotic 12-team College Football Playoff has already chewed through the quarterfinals and the semifinals. We’ve watched the giants fall and the underdogs bark. But today is a day for travel, for "Big Red Warm Ups" in Miami, and for checking into hotels. The NCAA has cleared the deck for the NFL Divisional Round, which is currently hogging the Sunday spotlight with games like the Chicago Bears hosting the Los Angeles Rams at Soldier Field.
College football is taking a collective breath before tomorrow's historic National Championship.
The National Championship Matchup Everyone Is Talking About
Since there are no live whistles blowing on college campuses today, all eyes are fixed on Monday night. Tomorrow, January 19, 2026, the Indiana Hoosiers and the Miami Hurricanes will settle everything at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
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Honestly, if you told a fan three years ago that Indiana would be the #1 seed in a 12-team playoff, they would have laughed you out of the room. But here we are. Curt Cignetti has turned Bloomington into a football town, and the Hoosiers just finished dismantling Oregon 56-22 in the Peach Bowl semifinal to get here.
On the other side, you’ve got Mario Cristobal’s Miami Hurricanes. They’ve had a wild road as the #10 seed, proving that the new playoff format actually works for teams that get hot at the right time. They aren’t just "back"; they’re dangerous.
What’s Happening Today in Miami?
Even though the game isn't until tomorrow, the city is basically a college football theme park right now. If you're down in Florida, here is what’s actually on the schedule for today:
- The Big Red Warm Up: Indiana fans are taking over the FPL Solar Amphitheater at Bayfront Park from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. It’s a massive pep rally.
- CFP Fan Central: This is happening at the Miami Beach Convention Center. It’s the spot for the Marching Hundred and the cheerleaders to do their thing.
- Open Rehearsals: The bands are practicing at Moore Park this morning. It’s the last chance to see the pageantry before the pads start popping.
Why There Are No College Games Today
The scheduling is very intentional. In the old days of the 4-team playoff, we’d often see games scattered across New Year's Eve or New Year's Day. With the expansion to 12 teams, the calendar has stretched deep into January.
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The NCAA knows better than to compete with the NFL Divisional Playoffs. Today, the NFL has the Houston Texans playing the New England Patriots and the Bears/Rams matchup. By leaving Sunday empty, the College Football Playoff ensures it owns the "Monday Night Football" slot for the biggest game of the year.
It’s a business move, sure. But for fans, it creates this intense 24-hour waiting period where the only thing to do is argue about point spreads and whether Indiana’s defense can actually contain Miami’s speed.
A Quick Look Back at How We Got Here
To understand the stakes for tomorrow, you sort of have to look at the carnage of the last two weeks. The quarterfinals on New Year's Day were absolute peak "Sickos" football:
- Oregon shut out Texas Tech 23-0 in a defensive masterclass.
- Indiana handled Alabama 38-3, a scoreline that still feels like a typo.
- Ole Miss edged out Georgia 39-34 in a New Orleans thriller.
Miami then managed to navigate through the semifinals, setting up this clash of cultures: the traditional "U" swagger against the "Cignetti-era" Hoosier discipline.
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Other College Sports Filling the Void
If you absolutely need a college fix today and the NFL isn't doing it for you, the action has shifted to the hardwood. College basketball is in full swing.
The Wisconsin Badgers are hosting the Oregon Ducks at the Kohl Center today at 4 p.m. ET. Over on the West Coast, the USC Trojans are taking on the Purdue Boilermakers at the Galen Center around 5 p.m. ET. It’s not a goal-line stand, but it’ll keep you occupied until the National Championship kickoff tomorrow night.
Actionable Insights for the National Championship
Since you can't watch a game today, you might as well prepare for the one that matters. If you’re planning on watching Indiana vs. Miami tomorrow, keep these specific things in mind:
- Check the Kickoff Time: It’s 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN. Don't be late; the pre-game pageantry in the new 12-team era is much longer than it used to be.
- The "Home" Advantage: Even though it’s a neutral site, Hard Rock Stadium is Miami’s backyard. Expect a sea of green and orange.
- Streaming Options: If you don't have cable, Fubo and YouTube TV are the standard go-tos, but make sure your subscription is active before the 7 p.m. rush, as login servers sometimes get wonky during massive sporting events.
- Watch the Lines: As of today, the betting lines are hovering around a pick'em or a very slight edge for Indiana. Keep an eye on any late injury reports coming out of the Miami camp today, as that’s usually when "flu game" rumors start to leak.
There is no college football today, but the silence is just the buildup. Get your errands done, grab your groceries, and clear your schedule for tomorrow night. The most unlikely National Championship in history is less than 36 hours away.