Indiana tops Miami for CFP nationwide championship win

One of many best sports activities tales was accomplished on Monday night time as Indiana defeated Miami 27-21 to seize this system’s first School Soccer Playoff nationwide championship, all whereas capping an unforgettable 2025 season with an ideal 16-0 report.

The win didn’t come simply for the Hoosiers because the Hurricanes closed the hole twice within the second half, even pulling inside three with simply over six and a half minutes left within the fourth quarter.

The Hurricanes marched down the sector 91 yards to attain off a 22-yard landing move by Carson Beck to chop it to a 24-21 sport, however the Hoosiers managed to present themselves some respiratory room with a subject aim on the following drive.

The Indiana protection held the Hurricanes off from there, securing the win with Jamari Sharpe selecting off a move from Beck with just below a minute left.

Fernando Mendoza had the spotlight landing of the sport, working into the tip zone on a fourth-and-4 play on the Hurricanes’ 12-yard line, diving via the Miami protection to attain to make it a 24-14 sport late within the fourth quarter.

It marked an unbelievable turnaround for this system, which head coach Curt Cignetti took over previous to the 2024 season and has since put up a 26-2 report over the 2 campaigns going into Monday night time’s nationwide title sport.

The Hoosiers had scored the sport’s first factors on a 34-yard subject aim on their second drive of the night time and so they held the 3-0 benefit till they drove 85 yards in the course of the second quarter to increase their lead.

Riley Nowakowski capped off the 14-play drive with a one-yard landing run to make it 10-0 with 6:13 left within the second quarter.

Miami was lastly capable of get on the board with 11:06 left the third quarter when Mark Fletcher Jr. broke free for a 57-yard dashing landing to assist pull the Hurricanes inside three.