Indiana Wins First National Title
January 20, 2026
Indiana had to fight tooth and nail for the win, but when Jamari Sharpe intercepted a Carson Beck pass with 44 seconds left to go in the game, the Hoosiers finally captured their first national championship in college football, beating Miami (Fla.), 27-21. Indiana becomes the first major college football team to go 16-0 since Yale did it in 1894. The Hoosiers end the 2025 season at No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, followed by the Hurricanes at No. 2.
The other two semifinalists in this season’s College Football Playoff, Ole Miss and Oregon, finish at third and fourth, respectively. Georgia dropped three spots to end at No. 5. Ohio State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oklahoma round out the top 10.
Rank School (1st votes) Pts. Prev. Rec.
1 Indiana (62) 1,550 1 16-0
2 Miami (Fla.) 1,485 10 13-3
3 Mississippi 1,400 6 13-2
4 Oregon 1,349 5 13-2
5 Georgia 1,269 2 12-2
6 Ohio State 1,265 3 12-2
7 Texas Tech 1,142 4 12-2
8 Texas A&M 1,091 7 11-2
9 Alabama 1,050 11 11-4
10 Oklahoma 946 8 10-3
11 Notre Dame 901 9 10-2
12 Brigham Young 868 13 12-2
13 Texas 840 14 10-3
14 Utah 772 15 11-2
15 Vanderbilt 602 12 10-3
16 Virginia 567 21 11-3
17 Iowa 410 NR 9-4
18 Tulane 369 18 11-3
19 Houston 349 24 10-3
20 James Madison 342 19 12-2
21 Southern Califonria 309 16 9-4
22 Michigan 276 17 9-4
23 Navy 164 25 11-2
24 Georgia Tech 126 22 9-4
25 Illinois 123 NR 9-4
Dropped out: No. 20 Arizona (9-4); No. 23 Tennessee (8-5).
Others receiving votes: North Texas (12-2) 107; Washington (9-4) 92; SMU (9-4) 89; Duke (9-5) 82; Arizona (9-4) 79; TCU (9-4) 72; Tennessee (8-5) 22; Louisville (9-4) 13; Old Dominion (10-3) 6; Wake Forest (9-4) 6; Western Michigan (10-4) 5; Connecticut (9-4) 4; Missouri (8-5) 3; Boise State (9-5) 2; Army (7-6) 1; East Carolina (9-4) 1; Pittsburgh (8-5) 1.
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Indiana had to fight tooth and nail for the win, but when Jamari Sharpe intercepted a Carson Beck pass with 44 seconds left to go in the game, the Hoosiers finally captured their first national championship in college football, beating Miami (Fla.), 27-21. Indiana becomes the first major college football team to go 16-0 since Yale did it in 1894. The Hoosiers end the 2025 season at No. 1 in the US LBM Coaches Poll, followed by the Hurricanes at No. 2.
The other two semifinalists in this season’s College Football Playoff, Ole Miss and Oregon, finish at third and fourth, respectively. Georgia dropped three spots to end at No. 5. Ohio State, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, Alabama and Oklahoma round out the top 10.
| Rank | School (1st votes) | Pts. | Prev. | Rec. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Indiana (62) | 1,550 | 1 | 16-0 | |
| 2 | Miami (Fla.) | 1,485 | 10 | 13-3 | |
| 3 | Mississippi | 1,400 | 6 | 13-2 | |
| 4 | Oregon | 1,349 | 5 | 13-2 | |
| 5 | Georgia | 1,269 | 2 | 12-2 | |
| 6 | Ohio State | 1,265 | 3 | 12-2 | |
| 7 | Texas Tech | 1,142 | 4 | 12-2 | |
| 8 | Texas A&M | 1,091 | 7 | 11-2 | |
| 9 | Alabama | 1,050 | 11 | 11-4 | |
| 10 | Oklahoma | 946 | 8 | 10-3 | |
| 11 | Notre Dame | 901 | 9 | 10-2 | |
| 12 | Brigham Young | 868 | 13 | 12-2 | |
| 13 | Texas | 840 | 14 | 10-3 | |
| 14 | Utah | 772 | 15 | 11-2 | |
| 15 | Vanderbilt | 602 | 12 | 10-3 | |
| 16 | Virginia | 567 | 21 | 11-3 | |
| 17 | Iowa | 410 | NR | 9-4 | |
| 18 | Tulane | 369 | 18 | 11-3 | |
| 19 | Houston | 349 | 24 | 10-3 | |
| 20 | James Madison | 342 | 19 | 12-2 | |
| 21 | Southern Califonria | 309 | 16 | 9-4 | |
| 22 | Michigan | 276 | 17 | 9-4 | |
| 23 | Navy | 164 | 25 | 11-2 | |
| 24 | Georgia Tech | 126 | 22 | 9-4 | |
| 25 | Illinois | 123 | NR | 9-4 |
Dropped out: No. 20 Arizona (9-4); No. 23 Tennessee (8-5).
Others receiving votes: North Texas (12-2) 107; Washington (9-4) 92; SMU (9-4) 89; Duke (9-5) 82; Arizona (9-4) 79; TCU (9-4) 72; Tennessee (8-5) 22; Louisville (9-4) 13; Old Dominion (10-3) 6; Wake Forest (9-4) 6; Western Michigan (10-4) 5; Connecticut (9-4) 4; Missouri (8-5) 3; Boise State (9-5) 2; Army (7-6) 1; East Carolina (9-4) 1; Pittsburgh (8-5) 1.
For more information about the AFCA, visit www.AFCA.com. For more interesting articles, check out The Insider and subscribe to our weekly email.
If you are interested in more in-depth articles and videos, please become an AFCA member. You can find out more information about membership and specific member benefits on the AFCA Membership Overview page. If you are ready to join, please fill out the AFCA Membership Application.
