MIAMI GARDENS — The Hurricanes came close to summitting the college football mountain for the first time since the 2001 season. But ultimately, Miami did not have enough.
Indiana, the top seed in the College Football Playoff, kept Miami at arm’s length for long enough and held onto a 27-21 victory in the national title game at Hard Rock Stadium. It is the Hoosiers’ first-ever national title.
Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, scored a 12-yard touchdown run on a fourth-and-4 that put the Hoosiers ahead by 10 points in the fourth quarter. It was too much for Miami to overcome, even with a fourth-quarter touchdown catch by star freshman Malachi Toney that cut the deficit to three points. Indiana was able to run down the clock and kick a field goal to make it a six-point game,
Miami was moving the ball on potential game-winning drive, but quarterback Carson Beck threw a game-ending interception that was picked off by Jamari Sharpe.
Indiana took a first-quarter lead and never trailed, but after falling behind 10-0, the Hurricanes battled to stay in the game.
Miami and Indiana traded punts on the first drive, but Indiana struck first on its second drive of the game. The Hoosiers went 55 yards, and cornerback OJ Frederique Jr. broke up a pass in the end zone to force Indiana to kick a 34-yard field goal.
The Hoosiers shut down the Hurricanes’ offense throughout the first half. Indiana took a 10-0 lead midway on a 14-play, 85-yard drive that ended with a 1-yard run by tight end Riley Nowakowski.
Miami’s best drive of the first half came in the waning moments before halftime, but the Hurricanes opted to try for a 50-yard field goal, which Davis missed.
The Hurricanes needed a stop on Indiana’s second-half opening drive, and appeared poised to get it. Miami pushed IU back to third-and-17 after Akheem Mesdor sacked Fernando Mendoza, but an Armondo Blount facemask penalty on a third-down run continued the drive. The penalty did not come back to bite the Hurricanes, as Rueben Bain got a third-down sack on the next set of downs to force a punt.
Miami finally got on the board on its first drive when running back Mark Fletcher Jr. took an outside run 57 yards to the end zone, cutting Indiana’s lead to 10-7.
Indiana defensive lineman Mikail Kamara put Indiana back ahead by 10, blocking a Dylan Joyce punt inside the UM 10-yard line. Isaiah Jones recovered the loose ball in the end zone for the score.
Miami fought its way back into the game, going 81 yards on 10 plays and ending the drive with a 3-yard touchdown run by Fletcher.
UM forced IU into a fourth-and-5 on the Hurricanes’ 37-yard line, and Mendoza connected with Charlie Becker for a crucial first down. Mendoza completed the drive with his touchdown run.
The Hurricanes were not done yet. Toney scored on a 22-yard pop pass to get Miami back within three points and kept its hopes alive. But the Hoosiers picked up key first downs to keep the clock moving and keep the ball out of Miami’s hands for a potential game-tying or winning drive.
Five takeaways
1. Hoosiers out-Miami Miami
Miami made its living during the playoffs by dominating other teams on the line of scrimmage. Indiana did that to UM on Monday.
The Hoosiers’ first two scoring drives were 12 and 14 plays long, which is precisely what the Hurricanes try to do to opposing teams.
Indiana had more time of possession and picked up crucial third downs like Miami had throughout the postseason.
2. UM defensive line gets after Mendoza
The Hurricanes’ pass rush has come up big throughout the season, and it put the Heisman winner under pressure throughout the game.
However, UM did not have a sack in the first half.
The Hurricanes came out firing in the second half, getting two sacks on Indiana’s first drive of the second half and a third on the subsequent drive. Mesidor had two sacks, and Bain had one.
3. Special team woes
The Hoosiers had a 10-point swing thanks to poor special-teams play from the Hurricanes. Miami missed a field goal to end the first half, and then Indiana blocked a UM punt and scored on the play.
The blocked punt for a touchdown proved to be a decisive play.
4. Fletcher caps stellar playoffs
The playoffs were where Fletcher became a star.
Fletcher notched 112 yards and a pair of scores, becoming the first running back to rush for more that 100 yards against the Hoosiers this season.
5. A season to remember
Although the Hurricanes’ season ended in disappointment, it was still the best UM season in more than two decades. With playoff victories over Texas A&M, Ohio State and Ole Miss, Miami showed that it is relevant on the national stage again.
The Hurricanes will have plenty to pitch new players (both in the high school ranks and in the portal), as UM has now shown it is competitive. It will also show that it can develop players, with two or three players likely to go in the first round of April’s NFL draft.
Miami fans surely hoped they would spend the week celebrating. But the Hurricanes are once again a team people around the nation must take seriously.