The 2026 College Football Playoff had everything a fan could wish for, from upsets and tight games to dominant blowouts. It came to an end on Monday, Jan. 19, with No. 1 Indiana defeating No. 10 Miami 27-21 in the national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.

“I thought that the championship might be Ohio State and Indiana,” freshman Eli Brooks said. “The playoffs did have a great storyline and were very fun to watch.”

Second-Round Drama

To kick off the second round, Miami shockingly came out on top against No. 2 Ohio State. Despite not being the top seed, Ohio State was viewed by many as the heavy favorite to win the national title, but Miami put an end to its run with a 24-14 victory. Ohio State sophomore quarterback Julian Sayin threw for 287 yards and a touchdown, but two interceptions and five sacks ultimately played a crucial role in the loss.

The next day, No. 1 Indiana showed the country who it really was, soaring past Alabama 38-3. The Hoosiers started the game with 24 unanswered points before Alabama was able to score its first of two field goals. Fernando Mendoza, Indiana’s Heisman-winning quarterback, threw for 192 yards and three touchdowns, while the Hoosiers rushed for a combined 215 yards in the dominant win.

The most entertaining game of the second round was when Ole Miss narrowly defeated No. 3 Georgia. Despite Ole Miss taking a 6-0 lead in the first quarter, Georgia built a two-possession advantage by halftime. That lead lasted until a few minutes into the fourth quarter, when Ole Miss took a three-point lead and quickly extended it to 10 points.

Georgia responded with 10 points of its own, leaving Ole Miss 56 seconds to score. Quarterback Trinidad Chambliss drove his team down the field, and kicker Lucas Carneiro drilled a 47-yard field goal to give Ole Miss a three-point lead. Georgia was unable to respond, sealing the Ole Miss victory.

Semifinal Round

Miami once again pulled off an upset in the semifinals, defeating Ole Miss 31-27. The game featured five lead changes and a final-minute, game-winning drive.

The contest started with six first-half scoring drives, three by each team. The second half began slowly but picked up when Miami scored a touchdown to take the lead with five minutes remaining. Less than two minutes later, Ole Miss answered with a touchdown of its own. Miami quarterback Carson Beck capped a 15-play, 75-yard drive with a three-yard rushing touchdown, leaving just 18 seconds on the clock. Ole Miss came up short in its final attempt to respond.

“Miami’s semifinal win was easily one of my favorite games of the entire season,” sophomore Zeke Fox said. “I loved how offensively heavy it was.”

The other semifinal game was far less competitive, as Indiana steamrolled Oregon 56-22.

The Hoosiers led 35-7 at halftime and continued to pull away in the second half. Mendoza finished with 177 passing yards, compared to Oregon quarterback Dante Moore’s 285, but Mendoza threw five touchdown passes, matching both his season and career highs.

National Championship

Indiana entered the national championship as the heavy favorite and lived up to expectations. Miami put up a strong fight, but Indiana ended the Hurricanes’ historic run with a 27-21 victory. The Hoosiers led for the entire game, capping off the program’s first undefeated season and first national championship.

Mendoza threw for 186 yards and no touchdowns, one of his worst statistical performances of the season. Still, it was enough to earn the title and draw a rare smile from head coach Curt Cignetti.

“I liked seeing the success of Fernando Mendoza and the rest of Indiana because of how they turned the program around,” freshman Cooper Enama said.

For fans, regardless of team allegiance, the playoff delivered everything they could want. Attention now turns to next season, as Indiana looks to defend its title without Mendoza, who has declared for the NFL draft.