Defense and field position defined the early moments of the National Championship game as Indiana Hoosiers and Miami Hurricanes traded cautious possessions before the Hoosiers finally broke through on the scoreboard.
Indiana won the coin toss and elected to defer, choosing to play defense first and set the tone on the west end of the field. Miami received the opening kickoff and showed early patience, managing to pick up a first down before the drive stalled near midfield. Facing a fourth down at its own 48-yard line, the Hurricanes opted to punt rather than take an early risk.
That sequence set the stage for Indiana’s first sustained march of the night. While, Indiana took its shot at the end zone on third-and-6 from the Miami 15-yard line, but Hurricanes defensive back O.J. Frederique Jr. broke up Mendoza’s pass intended for Charlie Becker. Rather than force the issue, head coach Curt Cignetti sent out the field goal unit which made sense given the solid defense play from both sides.
And Nicolas Radicic delivered again, drilling a 34-yard field goal to give Indiana a 3-0 lead with 2:42 remaining in the first half. It marked the first points of the championship game after both teams had failed to find the end zone on multiple early drives.
Hoosiers on the board first
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— College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 20, 2026
The Hoosiers’ first offensive series began deep in their own territory at the 5-yard line. Indiana was able to move the chains once, but Miami’s defense responded with pressure that forced a punt, keeping the game scoreless through each team’s opening possession.
Mixing short throws with steady runs, the Hoosiers pieced together a 12-play, 55-yard drive that consumed nearly six minutes of game time. Star field-general Fernando Mendoza absorbed a couple of heavy hits during the possession, including one that left him visibly bloodied on his lower lip, but he stayed composed and kept the offense moving.
With Indiana chasing its first national championship in program history and Miami looking to end a title drought dating back to 2001, the opening score underscored just how tight and physical this matchup could become.
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