Miami vs. Indiana; Monday, Jan. 19, 7:30 PM ET ESPN
The Prospects:
Miami
- QB Carson Beck, No. 11
- OT Francis Mauigoa, No. 61
- WR Tony Johnson, No. 17
- WR C.J. Daniels, No. 7
- DE Rueben Bain Jr., No. 4
- DE Akheem Mesidor, No. 99
- LB Mohamed Toure, No. 1
- CB Keionte Scott, No. 0
- S Jakobe Thomas, No. 8
Indiana
- QB Fernando Mendoza, No. 15
- WR Elijah Sarratt, No. 13
- DE Mikail Kamara, No. 6
- LB Aiden Fisher, No. 4
- G Kahlil Benson, No. 67
The Matchups:
Fernando Mendoza and Carson Beck will be quarterbacks in the NFL next year, and they will be tested by two quality defenses. Mendoza dominated in 2025 with big wins over Ohio State, Alabama, and two wins over Oregon. Mendoza has had a dream season, and he could cap it with a National Championship. This will be the last test for Mendoza before he is likely the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. Mendoza is going to be tested by a tremendous Miami defense. Defensive ends Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor were on fire in the first two games of the playoffs, but were nearly shut out by Ole Miss. The Hurricanes need Bain and Mesidor to get after Mendoza to have any hope of slowing down the impending starting quarterback of the Las Vegas Raiders.
Beck has had issues getting rattled in the past, and that has led to some inconsistent performances. He came up clutch to lead the Hurricanes to wins over Texas A&M and Ole Miss. Indiana has a gritty defense that will get after him, so Beck must stay poised, effective, and keep the game close.
Indiana’s Mikail Kamara is fast off the edge and will be a good test for right tackle Francis Mauigoa if they match up against each other. Mauigoa is a strong run blocker who has played really well in the playoffs. The Hurricanes will need to use their rushing attack to help Beck and keep Mendoza on the sidelines. Mauigoa could be a top-20 pick next April.
