The games leading up to the National College Championship had the Miami community stressed out, hoping their favorite team, the Canes, made it to the championship. And they did–the University of Miami successfully played every game and took on the final against University of Indiana right here at the Hard Rock Stadium. Students of Gulliver screamed at their team through the screen and in the stands hoping for a win.
“I’m going for UM because I really like their players and I’ve always been raised in Miami so it’s a team I naturally root for,” Oliva Trejos (8) said.
Trejos described the College Football National Championship as the best time of the year. Many students were rooting for Miami, describing them as a team with a lot of potential and ability to win. Some have family members who have taught or went to University of Miami. Others said Indiana had a greater chance of winning because of their quarterback, Miami native and Columbus alum Fernando Mendoza.

Eighth grader Max Mendoza, Fernando Mendoza’s brother, supported his brother along the whole game. Fernando Mendoza scores a winning touchdown as a quarterback.
“Of course I’m going for Indiana, go Hoosiers!” Mendoza said. “Indiana just has a great team overall, I feel that we just had a really up year, we are going to keep having up years. I feel like we play clean and we have good sportsmanship and we play to the best of our ability.”
The intensity going into the game lit up the field. The environment in the stadium was full of cheers and screaming. Ultimately, the Indiana Hoosiers defeated the Miami Hurricanes 27-21 on January 19, 2026. This victory secured their first ever national title. Their final game concluded a final 16-0 season for the Hoosiers with the help of Head Coach Curt Cignetti.
“I think UM could have played better by completing more passes and maybe if they made a field goal that would’ve made a big difference in the game. But Indiana overall played really well, and we just couldn’t tackle them,” Rex Roy (8) said.