Posted on 01/10/2026 2:51:09 AM PST by Kid Shelleen
Indiana is an overwhelming early favorite against Miami in the national championship game.
The No. 1 Hoosiers have opened as 7.5-point favorites at BetMGM against the No. 10 Hurricanes on Jan. 19 in Miami. Though Miami would appear to have a home-field advantage, Indiana fans took over Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the school's Peach Bowl win over Oregon in Atlanta and should be well-represented in South Florida.
---SNIP--- A victory for the Hoosiers would be a third straight national championship for the Big Ten.
(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...
I’m 80 an this IU team is the closest thing I’ve ever seen to being the perfect team. Almost flawless football.
Incredibly disciplined, consistent. In almost total control for whole game. Yes, Oregon marched straight down the field several times, but other than that, incredible.
Grew up in Indiana and threatened to transfer from my small Indiana college to IU every year but never did it.
As good as they are, I doubt Miami can stand up to them.....
I’ve got plenty of time to reflect on my pick before the big game.
I don’t really know the game, but I saw Miami practice before the season started. They had some players with what looked like world-class speed. You can’t teach that.
Maybe I’ll bet on both teams.
Just to set the record straight...
I’ve been a reluctant Hoosier fan these past 2 years
AND I never would have believed that IU might bring
a football NC Trophy home before my Boilers win a
basketball NC Trophy!
I have to give Indiana their accolades, playing a
gritty style where the whole team brings there
best week after week after week.
They have the fewest 4 & 5 star athletes of all the
CFP final four teams, their overall roster was ranked
#72 in the country and were picked 17th preseason for
the Big (8+)Ten. I’ve always loved the underdogs.
Actually half of IU’s point were thanks to defensive
turnovers and the last one gift wrapped by special teams!
They could play/beat the Raiders. Talk last night was they will draft Mendoza, first pick.
And without all those points they STILL would have won
As much as I loved watching the Hoosiers dismantle the bath toys team, I wonder if the fans will be able to afford the high priced tickets at the Natty. Will the team be as effective if they have a hostile crowd, even though Mendoza will be home?
And in some ways it's like going back in time to during and after Bear Bryant's years in Alabama. It seemed like every successful coach would say that their success came from what they learned from working for or playing for Bear (who unfortunately died shortly after retiring). That's what it seemed like yesterday watching Gameday before the game when Miami coach Cristobal talked to Coach Saban about his win the night before came from utilizing what Cristobal had learned under Saban. Then Cignetti came on and said similar things to Saban.
Mendoza’s timing and accuracy was nearly perfect. IU’s run game is crushing and their balance in run/pass is as good as it gets.
Miami has a good defense but I expect IU will have their way with them. I don’t gamble but think the 7.5 point spread is easy money given how well IU is playing.
Never start a game with a pick 6.
I do think they will be well represented - IU is
known for both doctors and a business school.
Although I’ve also heard tickets are going for
crazy money, what nice houses used to sell for
50 years ago.
I hope they will represent well. I know plenty of folks from here that overwinter in S. Florida.
Well now I must confess, I grew up Catholic and
therefore also a Notre Dame fan. I loved the
grittiness of the 1973 Sugar Bowl, ND vs Bear
Bryant’s Bama. And the QB for ND never got his
dues - Tom Clements should have been an NFL draft
pick. Undersized like another ND QB - Joe Montana!
I think they have always done the championship game on Monday because of travel arrangements the fans must make. Neither team’s fans (Miami or Indiana) knew for sure they’d be in the final. Now that they know, they have miniscule time to drop what they’re doing, arrange for flights and accommodations.
Of course, all of this is moot for local Miami fans, as the game is in Miami. But normally this is not the case. So the Monday routine is longstanding due to those logistics.
The bath toys team went down the drain last night.
I hope Mendoza brings a lot of family and friends to the game, since this is a going home trip for him.
That’s when there were actually 10 teams in the Big 10...before democrats took over the NCAA.
Very accurate passing.
As much as I loved watching the Hoosiers dismantle the bath toys team,
......
Bath toys
LOL
Well done
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