MIAMI GARDENS – Eighteen weeks after the University of Miami began the 2025 college football season with a win against Notre Dame, the Hurricanes’ season came to an end in the same stadium with the same national audience giving the game its full attention.
Dropping a 27-21 decision to Indiana, which became the first team to finish the season with a perfect 16-0 record, the Hurricanes and their players showed that while many want to close the door on your season, you will always have the opportunity to kick it in and create your own dynasty.
For the first time in over two decades, the “U” was back in the national championship game after a regular season that saw them finish 10-2 – almost being left out of the College Football Playoff mix. But those who know and watch this great game, understood that this program had some key wins that needed to include them in the top 12 programs after the season had ended.
In a four-game stretch, Miami and head coach Mario Cristobal more than paid that decision to let this team in that selected group back in a major way.
As the No. 10 seed, they opened up on the road at College Station when they beat Texas A&M before over 104,000 hostile fans, 10-3.
As many doubted this program would ever come out of the first game with a win, the attention was quickly turned to the defending national champion Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl. When the ‘Canes came out of that game with a convincing win, it was on to the next step – a meeting with another “team of destiny” – Ole Miss. The exciting national semifinal in the Fiesta Bowl once again showcased this football team as they came out with a victory, setting up that national championship at “home” in Hard Rock Stadium against a program that had absolutely no football history in the Hoosiers, who like Miami and hundreds of other college programs, used the transfer portal to build their roster.
This was indeed a chance for college football “bluebloods” to sit on the sideline on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday and see two teams that have NOT been in the college football championship mix play before a sellout crowd that included President Donald Trump, his family and several other national figures.
The game brought out the heavyweights who attended these two schools and gave two fanbases to showcase what is not the “new world of college football” – where money is now king, and rosters are built in a year – or two.
As someone who has followed college football for six decades – and has had the pleasure of being at national championship games and seeing the direction that “amateur” athletics has move toward – it was simply accepting the times we are living in.
This game, which was won on an interception with under a minute left – shined the spotlight on so many storylines, and in the end, one of the best stories in college football unfolded when Miami Christopher Columbus graduate, Fernando Mendoza, capped off his collegiate career with a Heisman Trophy and a national title.
This game was also for the state of Florida, which had produced so many gifted players who made a huge impact in the outcome of the game, and of course the season, which left Miami (13-3) short of winning a sixth national title, but gave Coach Cristobal and his team a firm place as one of the best program in college football once again.
Certainly, both teams will get the players to compete once again – with several other schools that fell short this season.
While there are no guarantees of playing for a national title – at least these two programs – different in every way – proved that anything can happen, and for the Hoosiers and their many, many fans, the 2025 season belonged to them – with Miami not far behind!
NEITHER TEAM GAVE UP – FOR ALL FOUR QUARTERS
The Hoosiers got on the board first with 2:42 left in the opening quarter on a 34-yard field goal by Nico Radicic for a 3-0 lead.
The Hoosiers extended the lead to 10-0 at the 6:13 mark of the second quarter when tight end Riley Nowakowski took it in from the one.
The Hurricanes ended the first half with just 69 yards at the half and just three first downs. By far the lowest of the season, but at the half, things started to turn around.
The Hurricanes got on the board with 11:06 left in the third quarter when Mark Fletcher took it 57 yards for a score.
Indiana extended their lead to 17-7 with 5:04 left in the third quarter when Mikail Kimara blocked a Dylan Joyce punt and Isaiah Jones recovered for a score.
As the fourth quarter began, Fletcher scored his second touchdown of the game on a three-yard run at the 14:57 mark to cut the lead to 17-14.
The Hoosiers went back up by 10 when Mendoza kept the ball on fourth down and scored from 12 yards out and a 24-14 lead at the 9:18 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Hurricanes wouldn’t go away when Carson Beck hit freshman Malachi Toney from 22 yards out with 6:37 left in the fourth quarter, making it 24-21.
The Hoosiers extended the lead to 27-21 with 1:42 left when Radicic connected from 35 yards out.
With Miami driving to take the lead in the final minute, Beck’s pass was intercepted by south Floridian Jamari Sharpe and the dream of winning it all – at home – came to an end.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
Mendoza finished 16 of 27 for 186 yards and he scored a key touchdown.
Beck was 19 of 32 for 232 with a touchdown.
Fletcher led all runners with 112 yards and two scores. He had a monster four-game playoff.
Kaelon Black (17-81) and Roman Hemby (19-69) led the way on the ground for the Hoosiers.
The best freshman in the nation, Toney, capped off a once-in-a-lifetime first season with 10 catches for 122 yards and one score.
Omari Cooper (5-71) and Charlie Becker (4-65) were the top pass-catchers for the Hoosiers.
On defense, Mohamed Toure, who was the Hurricanes leading tackler all season after coming in from Rutgers, had 11 tackles, Wesley Bissainthe and Rueben Bain each had eight tackles in their final college game.
Bain and Ahkeem Mesidor combined for three sacks.
Louis Moore (seven tackles), and south Floridians Sharpe and D’Angelo Ponds (11 total tackles).
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For the past 55 years, we have spent more time on football fields than anyone in the country. From games to practices, camps, combines and 7-on-7 events, we get to as many events as possible to see the athletes LIVE. Follow us on Facebook (Larry Blustein), Instagram (OurBoyBlu) and Twitter (@PrepRedzoneFL). Contact us at: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..