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MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. – A champion will be crowned as the top-seeded and undefeated Indiana Hoosiers battle with the 10th-seeded Miami Hurricanes in the College Football Playoff national championship game today – Monday, Jan. 19 – at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. This game is available to watch on multiple streaming services for free.
How do I watch Miami vs. Indiana CFP national championship for free?
The CFP national championship will broadcast live on ESPN at 7:30 p.m. Eastern. Fans who have parted ways with their local cable provider can catch this game for free by utilizing a free trial from DIRECTV, which also offers $40 off your first month.
FuboTV has a free trial and $25 off your first month.
The most flexible option is Sling TV, which now offers new users a Day Pass for $4.99, Weekend Pass for $9.99, Week Pass for $14.99, Monthly for $45.99 and Season Pass for $199.99 for five months and $45.99 per month thereafter.
This game is also available on the ESPN app streaming service, which now offers an Unlimited Plan for $29.99 per month (or $299.99 for entire year) and the Select Plan for $12.99 per month (or $129.99 for entire year). The ESPN app replicates its previous coverage of select games and broadcasts on ESPN Plus.
Different ways to watch Miami vs. Indiana CFP national championship
- Main broadcast (ESPN)
- Field Pass with the Pat McAfee Show (ESPN2)
- Skycast (ESPNU)
- ACC Field Pass (ACC Network)
- Command Center (ESPNEWS)
- Spanish (ESPN Deportes)
The Hurricanes (13-2) outlasted Ole Miss, 31-27, in the national semifinals at the Fiesta Bowl. Miami is playing in its first national championship since the controversial loss to Ohio State 25 years ago. That loss snapped a 34-game winning streak.
Head coach Mario Cristobal’s Coral Gables revival is approaching completion.
Georgia senior transfer quarterback Carson Beck has compiled 3,581 yards with 29 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. His 81.4 QBR is the 11th-highest in the nation. He nabbed the go-ahead touchdown with 18 seconds left to down the Rebels.
One of the keys to their success has been their ability to keep Beck clean in the pocket. Miami’s offensive line allows a national-best 17.7% pressure rate. Those precious extra seconds have made all the difference for the veteran maestro.
Miami’s receiving corps has matured before the nation, specifically a talented freshman from right down the road. Malachi Toney ranks fourth nationally with 99 receptions for 1,089 yards and nine touchdowns, averaging 11 yards per reception.
Senior receiver Keelan Marion has 56 receptions for 740 yards and two touchdowns.
Junior running back Mark Fletcher Jr., a former Ohio State football commit, has tallied 199 carries for 1,080 yards with 10 touchdowns and 5.4 yards per carry. The bell cow has compiled 395 rushing yards in his last three games.
Miami’s fifth-ranked defense is allowing 14.8 points per game. The unit is headlined by the menacing combination of Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor.
Bain has tallied 8.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one interception with 25 solo tackles. Senior defensive lineman Akheem Mesidor has gobbled up 10.5 sacks, four forced fumbles and 60 total tackles. The duo did not record a sack in the national semifinals against Ole Miss.
Miami’s rushing defense has held its own against three top-20 rushing attacks this season. This will be the ultimate test.
Freshman defensive back Bryce Fitzgerald remains a potent option in the secondary. He has notched six interceptions, including three in his last three games. Fitzgerald snagged two in the CFP first round game against the Aggies.
Miami is the first team in the BCS or CFP era to play a national championship in its home stadium. The Hurricanes are seeking their sixth national championship in program history and the first since 2001.
Watch Miami vs. Indiana CFP national championship for free on DIRECTV
The Hoosiers (15-0) bludgeoned the fifth-seeded Oregon Ducks, 56-22, in the national semifinals at the Peach Bowl, punching their first-ever ticket to college football’s grand finale. Perfection is within reach tonight.
Indiana continues to grow stronger on offense, averaging 40.4 points per game, which is third in the nation. They are 16th in total offense per game (445.6).
Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, a Miami native, has thrown for 3,349 yards with an FBS-best 41 touchdowns and six interceptions. The junior also adds 284 yards and six scores on the ground. His 90.2 QBR is the highest in the nation. Mendoza went 17-of-20 for 177 yards and five touchdowns in the rout over Oregon.
Head Coach Curt Cignetti’s high-powered Hoosiers are loaded on multiple levels.
Junior Omar Cooper Jr. has 64 receptions for 866 yards for 13 touchdowns, averaging 13.5 yards per reception. Senior receiver Elijah Sarratt has 62 receptions for 802 yards and 15 touchdowns, averaging 12.9 yards per reception.
Sophomore receiver Charlie Becker has hauled in a touchdown in two straight games. He has 30 receptions for 614 yards and four scores.
With their aerial attack disintegrating Oregon’s secondary, Indiana’s running backs were reserved in the semifinals. But they will look to break through Miami’s wall on the grandiose stage. The Hoosiers’ ground game is 11th in rushing yards this season.
Senior running back Roman Hemby has compiled 211 carries for 1,060 yards and seven touchdowns, averaging five yards per carry. Senior running back Kaelon Black has 169 carries for 961 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 5.7 yards per carry.
Indiana’s defense is second in the nation, allowing 11.9 points per game. They are also allowing just 274.1 total yards per game, which is fourth in the nation.
The Hoosiers have allowed five touchdowns total in their last five games and have relinquished just two rushing touchdowns in their last 10 contests.
Sophomore linebacker Rolijah Hardy has a team-high 99 total tackles, including 46 solo tackles with eight sacks. Senior defensive back Louis Moore has snagged six interceptions to go along with 41 solo tackles and two pass deflections.
If Indiana wins, it will mark three straight national championships for the Big Ten (Michigan, Ohio State), which hasn’t been completed since the 1940s.
Watch Miami vs. Indiana CFP national championship on FuboTV for free
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Who is announcing Miami vs. Indiana CFP national championship?
Chris Fowler (play-by-play) and Kirk Herbstreit (analyst) will be the announcers while Holly Rowe and Molly McGrath report from the sidelines.
What are the latest odds for Miami vs. Indiana CFP national championship?
Spread: UM: (+8.5), IND: (-8.5)
Moneyline: UM: (+270), IND: (-325)
Point total: 47.5
Odds from DraftKings
Here’s more information on how to watch Miami vs Indiana on TV and streaming services.
What: CFP national championship game: Miami vs Indiana
When: Monday, Jan. 19, 2026
Time: 7:30 p.m. Eastern
Where: Hard Rock Stadium | Miami Gardens, Fla.
Channel: ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPNEWS, ESPN Deportes and ACC Network
Best streaming options: FuboTV (free trial and $25 off your first month), DIRECTV (free trial and $40 off your first month), Sling TV (half off first month and daily, weekend, weekly, monthly and season pass) and ESPN Streaming
