Indiana, Miami near full strength as College Football Playoff title game approaches
TOI GLOBAL DESK | TOI GLOBAL | Jan 13, 2026, 23:15 IST
![<div class="flex flex-col text-sm pb-25"><article class="text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&:has([data-writing-block])>*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]" tabindex="-1" dir="auto" data-turn-id="request-WEB:f91ff050-5a3e-4e52-aefa-421cf1dd5a65-8" data-testid="conversation-turn-6" data-scroll-anchor="true" data-turn="assistant"><div class="text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)"><div class="[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn" tabindex="-1"><div class="flex max-w-full flex-col grow"><div data-message-author-role="assistant" data-message-id="6c0f1d11-e6c3-49e7-901a-c9bc63d1afa8" dir="auto" class="min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&]:mt-1" data-message-model-slug="gpt-5-2"><div class="flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]"><div class="markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words light markdown-new-styling"><p data-start="0" data-end="180" data-is-last-node="" data-is-only-node="">Indiana, Miami near full strength as College Football Playoff title game approaches</p></div></div></div></div><div class="z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start"></div><div class="mt-3 w-full empty:hidden"><div class="text-center"></div></div></div></div></article></div><div aria-hidden="true" data-edge="true" class="pointer-events-none h-px w-px absolute bottom-0"></div>](https://staticimg.publishstory.co/thumb/126510585.cms?imgsize=167896&width=760&height=428&resizemode=4 "<div class=\"flex flex-col text-sm pb-25\"><article class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none [--shadow-height:45px] has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none has-data-writing-block:-mt-(--shadow-height) has-data-writing-block:pt-(--shadow-height) [&:has([data-writing-block])>*]:pointer-events-auto scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" tabindex=\"-1\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-WEB:f91ff050-5a3e-4e52-aefa-421cf1dd5a65-8\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-6\" data-scroll-anchor=\"true\" data-turn=\"assistant\"><div class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-10 [--thread-content-margin:--spacing(4)] @w-sm/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(6)] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-margin:--spacing(16)] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"><div class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\" tabindex=\"-1\"><div class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col grow\"><div data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"6c0f1d11-e6c3-49e7-901a-c9bc63d1afa8\" dir=\"auto\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal [.text-message+&]:mt-1\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-2\"><div class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden first:pt-[1px]\"><div class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert w-full break-words light markdown-new-styling\"><p data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"180\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\">Indiana, Miami near full strength as College Football Playoff title game approaches</p></div></div></div></div><div class=\"z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start\"></div><div class=\"mt-3 w-full empty:hidden\"><div class=\"text-center\"></div></div></div></div></article></div><div aria-hidden=\"true\" data-edge=\"true\" class=\"pointer-events-none h-px w-px absolute bottom-0\"></div>")
Indiana and Miami are expected to be nearly full strength for the College Football Playoff national championship. Miami should regain key defensive players, while Indiana will be without only one major contributor. The unbeaten Hoosiers enter with a dominant offense and defense, while the Hurricanes prepare to counter on their home field. Both coaches stressed staying focused and treating the title game like any other week.
Indiana and Miami are expected to be close to full strength when they meet in next week’s College Football Playoff national championship game, with both teams reporting positive injury updates after their semifinal wins.
Miami, the No. 10 seed, will need all the help it can get against Indiana’s explosive offense. Coach Mario Cristobal said the Hurricanes should have key defensive players available, including linemen Ahkeem Mesidor and Ahmad Moten and cornerback OJ Frederique. Mesidor and Moten were banged up late in Miami’s 31-27 semifinal win but returned to finish the game, while Frederique is set to return after missing the previous round. Tight end Elija Lofton remains the only major concern. “I believe we’re coming out a lot like we went into the last game,” Cristobal said, adding that most of the roster is ready to go.
Indiana, meanwhile, enters the title game unbeaten at 15-0 and playing dominant football on both sides. The Hoosiers have averaged 47 points per game in the playoffs while holding Ohio State, Alabama, and Oregon to just 35 total points combined. Coach Curt Cignetti said the only major absence will be defensive lineman Stephen Daley, who was injured after the Big Ten title game. Everyone else who played in the semifinal is expected to be available.
Both coaches stressed the importance of treating the championship like any other week. Cignetti, who is chasing his first national title, said the biggest danger is letting the moment feel too big.“The biggest mistake our guys can make, and I’ll talk to them tonight in the team meeting about this, is making the game bigger than it is,” he said, emphasizing preparation over pressure.
The matchup also brings a familiar storyline on defense. Miami defensive coordinator Corey Hetherman previously worked under Cignetti at James Madison, and Indiana knows what kind of aggressive approach to expect. As the Hurricanes prepare to play the title game in their home stadium and the Hoosiers chase history as a potential 16-0 champion, both teams appear healthy, confident, and ready for college football’s biggest stage.