Hurricanes Lose CFP National Championship

     The 10th seeded University of Miami Hurricanes lost to the first seeded University of Indiana Hoosiers 27-21 in the CFP National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday night. The Hurricanes attempted to capture their sixth national title in school history. The Hoosiers won their first national championship in college football. 

     Indiana(16-0) got in front 3-0 with 2:42 remaining in the first quarter. IU kicker Nico Radicic booted a 34-yard field goal.

     The Hoosiers made it 10-0 with 6:13 left in the second quarter. Running back Riley Nowakowski plunged up the middle from one yard away.

     Miami(13-3) closed it to 10-7 on their first possession of second half. Running back Mark Fletcher Jr. sprinted in on a 57-yard touchdown run down the right side at the 11:06 mark of the third quarter.

      It became 17-7 for Indiana with 5:04 to go in the third. The Canes had their punt blocked and it was recovered in the end zone for a score.

      In the fourth quarter, the Hurricanes cut it to 17-14 at 14:57. Fletcher rushed up the middle from three yards out.

      Indiana expanded their lead to 24-14 at the 9:18 mark of the final quarter. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza kept the ball on a 4th-and-5 play and raced in through the middle of the field from 12 yards away.

      The Canes scored to make it 24-21 with 6:37 left in the fourth. Wide receiver Malachi Toney took an inside handoff and dashed down the right hash marks from 22 yards out.

      The Hoosiers extended their lead to 27-21 with 1:42 remaining in the fourth. Radicic was able to kick a 35-yard field goal.

      Miami had one more opportunity to take the lead on their final possession. Quarterback Carson Beck threw an interception to the left sideline that was caught by defensive back Jamari Sharpe at the Hoosiers six-yard line with 44 seconds to go in the game.