National Championship injury updates: Initial Indiana vs. Miami availability report revealed

Monday, Miami and Indiana will square off in the College Football Playoff national championship. Ahead of the matchup, the two teams released their initial availability reports.

The Hurricanes punched their ticket to the title game with a thrilling victory over Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. Carson Beck ran in the game-winning touchdown with 18 seconds to go, and Trinidad Chambliss’ Hail Mary attempt sailed out of the end zone. As for Indiana, the Hoosiers continued their dominant run in the CFP with a blowout win over Oregon behind five touchdowns from Fernando Mendoza.

Now, the stage is set for Monday’s national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Here is the initial availability report for both Miami and Indiana, which was released Friday night.

Miami Hurricanes

Indiana Hoosiers

For Indiana, Monday’s national title game marks the latest chapter in a historic turnaround under head coach Curt Cignetti. The Hoosiers are the last undefeated team standing and have a 26-2 overall record since Cignetti’s arrival last year.

Prior to 2024, IU was the losingest program in college football history, which is why Cignetti said it would be a “hell of a movie” about the last two seasons. When asked about whether the Hoosiers should be considered a “Cinderella” in college football, he wholeheartedly agreed.

“I think that’s a fact,” Cignetti said. “If you look at the record since Indiana started playing football and relative to the success we’ve had the last two years, we’ve broken a lot of records here in terms of wins, championships, postseason games, top-10 wins on the road, et cetera.

“It’s been kind of surreal, but you get it done with the right people, properly led. You’ve got to have a blueprint, plan in process. You’ve got to have the right people on your staff and the right people in the locker room.”

Miami, meanwhile, is making its first appearance in a standalone national championship game as the Hurricanes seek their first title since 2002. The trenches are the name of the game for Mario Cristobal’s group, fueled by the two-headed monster of Akheem Mesidor and Rueben Bain in the pass-rush. The offensive line is also one of the best in college football.

That was part of Cristobal’s plan to get his alma mater back in the national spotlight. It’s why he returned to Coral Gables in the first place.

“I’ve been selfish son-of-a-bitch my whole life, so it is what it is, but it’s always been Miami. … Football and being a Miami Hurricane has always been everything to me,” Cristobal said Friday on The Pat McAfee Show. “And, the bottom line is … I owe Miami and I think all of us that went through there, we owe Miami and it had to be done right.

“Because Miami had lagged behind. Miami had completely abandoned ship. Let’s call it what it is. I couldn’t go to the grave without Miami being Miami again. That’s the bottom line. And that’s why I came back.”