Miami vs. Indiana CFP National Championship Odds, Predictions & Picks: Hoosiers Roll to Title

The Miami Hurricanes (13-2) meet the Indiana Hoosiers (15-0) in the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship game tonight at Hard Rock Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN.

The Hurricanes have the luxury of playing on their home field, but the Hoosiers have been unstoppable during the CFP with dominant wins over Alabama and Oregon. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza can help Indiana complete its unbeaten season with a win tonight.

DraftKings is dealing Indiana as an 8.5-point favorite with a total of 47.5 as of publication. 69% of spread handle and 68% of the bets are on the Hoosiers.

Best Bet Miami vs. Indiana: Against the Spread

Hoosiers -8.5 (-105 at DraftKings)

Indiana is the most complete team in the country, boasting high-ranked units on both sides of the ball. The Hoosiers rank third nationally in scoring offense, averaging 40.4 points per game. Indiana ranks second in scoring defense, allowing a paltry 11.9 ppg.

Head coach Curt Cignetti‘s team doesn’t just look to win games; it seeks to demoralize opponents. The Hoosiers are coming off a 56-22 destruction of Oregon after producing a pick-six on the first play of the game. Similarly, Indiana embarrassed Alabama, 38-3, in its CFP opener.

Indiana’s WR corps could be the difference tonight. Elijah Sarratt, Omar Cooper Jr., and Charlie Becker should all see plenty of targets from Mendoza.

Meanwhile, Miami’s defense has carried it to the cusp of a national title. This is how the Hurricanes got here:

• Miami 10 Texas A&M 3
• Miami 24 Ohio State 14
• Miami 31 Ole Miss 27

Miami proved it could pull off a victory in a higher-scoring game against Ole Miss. That said, QB Carson Beck has been inconsistent at times this season. Beck threw a combined six interceptions in Miami’s losses to Louisville and SMU.

Expect Indiana’s smothering defense to stifle Beck & Co. on the way to a double-digit victory.

Best Player Prop for Indiana Hoosiers

WR Eliah Sarratt ATTD Scorer (-120 at DraftKings)

Sarratt has the lowest odds to find the end zone, but this is an acceptable price based on his prolific scoring ways. He’s scored a TD in nine consecutive games and against top competition.

Here’s his production over the last three games:

• 3 catches, 37 yards, and a TD vs. Ohio State
• 4 catches, 40 yards, and a TD vs. Alabama
• 7 catches, 75 yards, and two TDs vs. Oregon

Sarratt leads the Hoosiers with 15 TDs on the season.

Best Player Prop for Miami Hurricanes

QB Carson Beck UNDER 202.5 Passing Yards (-114 at FanDuel)

Beck threw for only 103 yards in the CFP opener against Texas A&M. He followed that up with a 138-yard effort against Ohio State.

In both of those games, Miami leaned more on its running game, with RB Mark Fletcher Jr. combining for 272 rushing yards. Beck did throw for 268 yards against Ole Miss after that game turned into a shootout. We think that was an aberration. Indiana’s secondary shuts him down tonight.