Miami vs Indiana Predictions, Picks & Best Bets for Tonight's CFP National Championship Game

Caley's prediction: Mendoza, Hoosiers beat Beck, Hurricanes in a romp.

Andrew Caley - Senior Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Andrew Caley • Senior Betting Analyst
Jan 19, 2026 • 16:30 ET • 4 min read

NCAAF

Match starts: 1 hrs
IU
52 %
MIA
48 %
Read Analysis
Indiana Hoosiers Miami Hurricanes NCAAF
Photo By - Reuters Connect. Check out our Miami vs. Indiana predictions and best bets!

The 2025-26 College Football Playoff ends tonight with the No. 1-ranked Indiana Hoosiers taking on the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes, and ESPN has live coverage at 7:30 p.m. ET.

My Miami vs. Indiana predictions explain why there will be a “Belt to Ass” moment in this Natty — just not the way Michael Irvin is hoping.

Find out why I like the Hoosiers to win convincingly in my college football picks for Monday, January 19.

Who will win the National Championship Game?

Indiana.

This is the best team in the country, has been for a while. The only thing holding some back from realizing this is the logo on the helmet. Their tenacious style will overwhelm Miami over the course of the game, forcing some key mistakes as the Hoosiers win the national championship.

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Miami vs Indiana prediction

Miami vs Indiana Best bet: Indiana -8.5 (-105)

The U so desperately wants to be back, and there is just one step left: defeating the Indiana Hoosiers in the CFP National Championship Game.

Miami has won seven straight, but to upset the Indiana Hoosiers, the Canes need to play a clean game. I’m betting they won’t.

Carson Beck is prone to turnovers. He threw six picks in Miami’s two losses and threw another in the win over Mississippi. The Hurricanes are also undisciplined, ranking 113th in penalties per game.

Making mistakes is a recipe for disaster against Indiana. The Hurricanes will, and the Hoosiers will make ‘em pay.

Miami vs Indiana same-game parlay

The National Championship will feature plenty of talented playmakers, but the most underrated may be Indiana wideout Elijah Sarratt.

While Sarratt wasn’t as highly touted as some of the other stars in this game, his impact is undeniable.

He’s hauled in 47 catches for 638 yards and an eye-popping 12 touchdowns over his last nine games — averaging 70.9 yards and scoring in each contest. A prop of 56.5+ yards and a touchdown makes perfect sense in the Natty.

Miami vs Indiana SGP

  • Indiana -8.5
  • Elijah Sarratt Over 56.5 receiving yards
  • Elijah Sarratt anytime touchdown

Our deep-ball SGP: Natty Fireworks

  • Charlie Becker has been massive down the stretch, boasting 457 receiving yards and three touchdowns over the last six games.
  • Malachi Toney is the Miami Hurricanes' most electric playmaker, and if someone can bust a big one for "The U", it's their star wideout.
  • Miami has trusted backup running back Charmar Brown in the red zone lately, with the sophomore scoring four times in the last five games.

Miami vs Indiana SGP

  • Elijah Sarratt anytime touchdown
  • Charlie Becker anytime touchdown
  • Malachi Toney anytime touchdown
  • CharMar Brown anytime touchdown

Miami vs Indiana game predictions

Miami vs Indiana spread prediction

Indiana isn’t just winning. It’s blowing teams out. The Hoosiers crushed Alabama and Oregon by 35 and 34 points, respectively. Miami is a very talented team, but it is still a team that lost to Louisville and SMU earlier this season.

Miami vs Indiana Over/Under prediction

Indiana is capable of doing the heavy lifting to send this game over this number. But this is a matchup of two of the best defenses in the country. Miami also knows getting into a shootout with Indiana isn’t the best idea. It means more chances for Carson Beck to make mistakes.

Miami vs Indiana odds

  • Spread: Miami +7.5 (-115) | Indiana -7.5 (-105)
  • Moneyline: Miami +250 | Indiana -310
  • Over/Under: Over 46.5 (-110) | Under 46.5 (-110)

Miami vs Indiana betting trend to know

Indiana has covered the spread in 10 of its last 14 games (+5.60 Units / 36% ROI). Find more college football betting trends for Miami vs Indiana.

How to watch Miami vs Indiana

Location Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, FL
Date Monday, January 19, 2026
Kickoff 7:30 p.m. ET
TV ESPN

Miami vs Indiana latest injuries

Miami vs Indiana weather

Conditions look close to ideal for football today with mostly clear skies and essentially no rain expected. With kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium, it should feel pleasantly cool for South Florida, with moderate-to-high humidity (roughly mid-60s to mid-70s%) but no meaningful weather disruptions anticipated. 

Because it’s dry and only modestly breezy, weather shouldn’t “decide” the game the way rain or strong winds can. This setup generally supports cleaner quarterback play, more reliable kicking, and faster offensive tempo (fewer slips, fewer botched exchanges).  

The main edges to watch are subtle: that north wind can nudge deep balls, punts, and long field goals depending on direction, and the combination of cooling temps plus lingering humidity can create a bit of late-game slickness (light dew) that tests footing for route breaks and pass rush. Overall, expect execution, not weather, to be the biggest driver of the outcome tonight. 

Monitor gametime conditions with our College football weather info.

More Miami vs Indiana predictions

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Andrew Caley
Senior Betting Analyst

When his dreams of becoming the next Steve Nash died, all Andrew "Taco" Caley wanted to do was write about sports, something he's been doing at Covers for more than a decade. A Journalism School grad from Holland College in Charlottetown, PEI, Andrew previously worked at The Chronicle Herald and Star Metro, but knew in his heart that his future lay in sports. He began at Covers as a news editor and has now done everything under the sun when it comes to content. His work has been seen on TSN, Sportsnet, VSiN, and CBS. These days Andrew's betting expertise is focused on his favorite teams; the Toronto Blue Jays and Toronto Raptors. He's also an avid college football fan and bettor. He can't be friends with you if you don't appreciate a Service Academy Under. The sportsbook where he does the bulk of his betting is bet365 thanks to its numerous prop betting options and competitive odds. His best advice? Find the balance between the numbers and what you see on the playing field. Then find the best price using multiple books. And don’t ask him where the nickname Taco comes from. It's not an interesting story. Seriously.

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