Later tonight I will watch college football’s national championship game and, presumably like most of the country, root for Indiana.
Indiana, the team from the Hoosier state, has been portrayed as a Cinderella story, which is correct as far as it goes.
Yes, Indiana University’s sporting history has been that football is just something to do before basketball season begins. Indiana plays for college national championships in basketball, not football. Truth be told, despite recent success, Indiana is second among Division I schools in all-time football LOSSES!
And yet tonight, Indiana meets Miami for the national title and the Hoosiers are 7.5-point favorites, having run through their earlier playoff games in impressive fashion.
Indiana could cap off a 16-0 season, or about what they used to win, total, in four or five years.
But Indiana is doing it with more than luck and pluck. Begin with quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Cal transfer reportedly making $2.6 million in Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) revenue. He won the Heisman Trophy and will be picked very early in the upcoming NFL draft. Mendoza is a player, period.
His counterpart on Miami is Carson Beck, who transferred to Miami, presumably in pursuit of opportunity and money, and is said to have pulled in about $3.1 million to play for The U this season.
That’s the way the game is played these days. It’s not like Indiana was experiencing this success 30 years ago, when college football still maintained the pretense of being an amateur competition.
Regardless, Curt Cignetti has pulled off something of a miracle. The one-time coach at Indiana University of Pennsylvania has taken a team from a basketball school, with a star receiver who got his start playing for St. Francis, Pa., to the pinnacle of the college football world, just a win short of a national title.
Again, I’m rooting for Cignetti and Indiana to get the job done.
But, I have more pause than most over this. I recall Oregon putting on a lengthy ball-possession drive against Indiana, even after falling behind 7-0 on a pick-six interception earlier in these playoffs.
Oregon got away from that template and lost in embarrassing fashion.
Meanwhile, Miami has been the epitome of ground-and-pound offense, sprinkling in big pass plays, but winning on the strength of a punishing ground game.
If Miami can avoid turnovers and be patient, I think the Hurricanes have a chance. Were I betting, I’d certainly take them with the 7.5 points.
Indiana doesn’t need to play perfect football to win, merely avoid committing catastrophic turnovers, or surrendering uncharacteristic big plays. That sometimes can be easier said than done, especially under the bright lights.
Hopefully, I will be wrong and Indiana will win going away. Go Hoosiers!
Sam Ross Jr's site 