The College Football Championship is set, and it pits two of the more unlikely teams against each other. Indiana may have the largest living alumni base in the country, with more than 800,000 graduates, but few expected the Hoosiers to reach this stage. They feature zero five-star recruits and have instead relied on depth, discipline, and consistency while dominating all season long.
On the other side stands Miami. The Hurricanes are a recognizable brand, yet they have not won a national title in 24 years and have been doubted at nearly every turn this season. Still, Miami navigated a challenging path and now finds itself one win away from ending a long championship drought.
These two programs will meet with a trophy on the line, and the winner will send its fan base into complete hysteria. Sportsbooks believe Indiana holds a clear edge. Following a recent blowout victory, the betting odds continued to climb, pushing the Hoosiers to an eight-point favorite over Miami. That number is notable considering the game will be played on the Hurricanes’ home field at Hard Rock Stadium.
Indiana originally opened as a five-and-a-half-point favorite on the look-ahead line, but that quickly proved too low. The spread moved in anticipation of strong Indiana money, which is significant because Miami is traditionally the public team that attracts casual bettors. For many observers, however, the on-field performance of the Hoosiers has been too convincing to ignore.
Regardless of the outcome, futures bettors are already celebrating. Indiana entered the season as a 150-to-1 long shot to win the national championship, while Miami opened at 40-to-1 and attracted substantial action.
Since 2014, only two teams with preseason title odds of 40-to-1 or longer have reached the championship game, making this matchup special for fans and futures bettors alike everywhere now.