2025-26 NCAA Football

Championship

(10) Miami 21-27 (1) Indiana

Really impressed with Miami for coming back and making a for-real game out of this after getting nothing done in the 1st half. Miami's pass rush was able to significantly slow down the Hoosier attack, holding them to a 10-0 scoreline at the half. Indiana looked in every way like the better team, but Miami's D got after QB Mendoza and RB Hemby (yipes! Those two in particular got roughed up in this match) and kept Indiana's dominance to a low boil. 

In the 2nd half Miami was much better at moving the ball and even turned up the defense a bit. Indiana was able to stave off an upset behind a blocked punt that went for a TD. That really kept the Hooisers in the game. Even though Indiana felt like the better team for the most part, Miami kept the game within striking distance, only to be thwarted by a last second interception. 

Much props to Miami. When the time came to crank it up, they cranked. Winning at Texas A&M, then at Ohio State, then beating a red hot Ole Miss at their own game (running the ball to chew up the clock), was masterful stuff. Then getting the championship on their home field must've been tantalizing. They stood up to a superiors opponent and hung tough for 60 minutes against one of the better college football squads I've ever seen, 

As for the Hoosiers, I don't know where they came from, I'd be surprised if they're back next year. This goes alongside Goran Ivanseivc at Wimbledon as the most improbable champion I've ever seen. The QB never missed, the running game had variations, the D-line was stout and the special teams made plays. They were organized and led brilliantly and this team just did what needed to be done all season long. A remarkable championship run that I suspect we'll never see again.

My bowl picks (just winners): 26-20

Correct

Kennesaw Sate 6-41 Western Michigan

(9) Alabama 34-24 (8) Oklahoma

(10) Miami 10-3 (7) Texas A&M

(11) Tulane 10-41 (6) MIssissippi

(12) James Madison 34-51 (5) Oregon

Washington State 34-21 Utah State

Toledo 22-27 Louisville

Western Kentucky 27-16 Southern Mississippi

California 31-35 Hawaii

Central Michigan 7-34 Northwestern

Florida Int'l 20-57 UT-San Antonio

Penn State 22-10 Clemson

(22) Georgia Tech 21-25 (12) Brigham Young

Miami 3-18 Fresno State

North Texas 49-47 San Diego State

Louisiana State 35- (21) Houston

Georgia Southern 29-10 Appalachian State

Coastal Carolina 14-23 Louisiana Tech

(18) Michigan 27-41 (13) Texas

Nebraska 22-44 (15) Utah

(6) Oregon 23-0 (4) Texas Tech

(9) Alabama 3-38 (1) Indiana

Rice 10-41 Texas State

Navy 35-13 Cincinnati

(5) Oregon 22-56 (1) Indiana

(10) Miami 21-27 (1) Indiana

Incorrect

South Carolina State 40-38 Prairie View A&M

Boise State 10-38 Washington

Troy 13-17 Jacksonville State

Old Dominion 24-10 South Florida

Louisiana 13-20 Delaware

Memphis 7-31 North Carolina State

UNLV 10- 17 Ohio

New Mexico 17-20 Minnesota

Pittsburgh 17-23 East Carolina

Connecticut 16-41 Army

(19) Virginia 13-7 Missouri

Tennessee 28-30 Illinois

(16) Southern Cal 27-30 Texas Christian

(23) Iowa 34-27 (14) Vanderbilt

Arizona State 39-42 Duke

(10) Miami 24-14 (2) Ohio State

(6) Mississippi 39-34 (3) Georgia (*)

Wake Forest 43-29 Mississippi State

(17) Arizona 19-24 Southern Methodist

(10) Miami 31-27 (6) Mississippi

Also, gotta shout out the FCS championship, maybe the funnest watch of the whole season.

(*) I took Ole Miss on my blog but apparently not on my card. Doh!