NCAA Football BETTING PREVIEW - Miami Hurricanes @ Indiana Hoosiers

NCAA Football

2026-01-19 - Miami Hurricanes at Indiana Hoosiers

A Sports Betting Preview by FirstDown

Indiana Hoosiers vs Miami Hurricanes
United States : College Football National Championship Game
Monday 19th January 2025 - Scheduled 7:30pm
12:30am (British Time)

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Preview

This game is being played at the Hard Rock Stadium, which is the Miami Hurricanes (13-2) home, but you do have to feel that there is a significant gap for them to bridge against the Indiana Hoosiers (15-0). Has that fact that this is a 'home game' for the Hurricanes factored into the line set for the game? Possibly, but the Hoosiers have won everywhere this season and they are rightly down as strong favourites to win the National Championship.

There will be a lot of focus on the Miami Defense and whether they can do enough to keep the Hurricanes in this game and that is where a potential blowout will be determined in my opinion.

All eyes will be on the Miami pass rush, which has been critical in helping the team drive through the Playoff and into the National Championship Game- they will know they need to rattle Fernando Mendoza, who is set to be the first overall Pick in the next NFL Draft, and try and stall drives with the pressure that can be generated by a powerful Defensive Line.

It begins at the Line of Scrimmage where the Indiana Hoosiers have been decent at getting a push up front, but not expected to have a huge game running the ball. The Miami Defensive Line have continue to clamp down on the run and so the pressure is going to be on Fernando Mendoza to make plays with his arm.

However, for all of the successes the Hurricanes have had in bringing down the opposition Quarter Back, it shoudl be noted that Indiana have an Offensive Line capable of giving Mendoza the one or two extra seconds he will need to attack this Secondary.

And despite all that pressure generated at the Line of Scrimmage, it should be noted that there are gaps in the Miami Secondary that can be exposed by this efficient Indiana Offense.

All of this means that the Hoosers are going to be expected to get some points on the board and it will be up to Carson Beck and the Miami Offensive unit to try and make enough plays to keep up on the scoreboard.

Much like Indiana, the Miami Offensive Line is not expected to rip open consistent running lanes against a Hoosiers Defensive Line that have been stout up front all season. They will want to make sure they are forcing Carson Beck to beat them with his arm and like Indiana on the other side of the ball, Miami are expected to need to the Quarter Back to have a big game throwing in order to keep the chains moving.

He has shown he can do that, but Carson Beck is not going to have a clean pocket- the Miami pass rush has grabbed the headlines, but these Indiana pass rushers are no slouches and they have made multiple hits on the opposition Quarter Back during the last several games. Adding up is the number of Sacks they have also produced and Miami's Offensive Line may not offer the same sort of time as Indiana potentillay give to Fernando Mendoza.

Carson Beck has also not been nearly as confident as Mendoza, despite his own College experience being substantial, and that is where the spread may end up getting away from the Hurricanes. The Quarter Back has been avoiding critical turnovers, but Beck is likely going to be asked to make plenty of throws under pressure and the Miami passing game has not been as consistent as the one Indiana will be bringing onto the field.

The Hurricanes are plenty talented and so will have some successes, but the consistency could be lacking and even being at home may not be enough against a powerful Indiana team looking to win a first Football National Championship.

Miami have beaten Ohio State during this Playoff run, which has to be respected by the Hoosiers who play in the same Conference as the Buckeyes and know how good they are. On that day it was the Miami Defensive unit that made some big plays, but Head Coach Curt Cignetti should have prepared his Indiana team to avoid his team shooting themselves in the foot as Ohio State did.

Covering will not be easy, but the feeling is that the Indiana Hoosiers will pull into a double digit lead at the top of the Fourth Quarter and then make a couple of big Defensive plays to move into a position to win and cover.

Prediction

Lay the points with the unbeaten Indiana Hoosiers who can do just enough to get past this spread late in the National Championship Game.

The Pick :

Indiana Hoosiers 27-13 Miami Hurricanes

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

I'll back Indiana Hoosiers - 7.5 Points at -105 with BetOnline