It’s officially National Championship Day, and the buzz couldn’t be any higher. The Indiana Hoosiers will face the Miami Hurricanes in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday, January 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. And yes, Miami is playing a title game in its own backyard. It’s something we’ve never seen before in the BCS/CFP era.

The stakes couldn’t be bigger. Indiana comes in at a spotless 15–0, chasing the program’s first-ever national championship. A win would also make the Hoosiers the first team to go 16–0 in the 12-team CFP era. On the other side, Miami sits at 13–2, looking for its sixth national title and its first since 2001. These two programs are barely acquainted with each other. They’ve only met twice in history, with the series tied 1–1, and the last matchup dates back to 1966.

Star power won’t be an issue either. Indiana’s Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza and Miami defensive star Rueben Bain Jr. will be a treat to watch, with both widely projected as future first-round NFL draft picks. But before you lock in your plans and set that reminder, it’s worth taking a closer look at the people who’ll be shaping the night from a different angle.

Who is officiating the Indiana vs. Miami game?

A college football game runs with a seven-official crew on the field. And this one has plenty of experience behind it. The head official for the national title game will be Michael VanderVelde. He has been a Big 12 referee since 2020 and has already officiated at major events, including the Rose Bowl.

On the broadcast side, ESPN will lean on familiar voices as well. Former Big Ten referee Bill Lemonnier will break down calls as the rules analyst on TV, while former SEC official Matt Austin will handle officiating insight for the ESPN Radio broadcast. Plenty of seasoned eyes will be watching every snap.

Who are the announcers for Indiana vs. Miami?

For the main ESPN broadcast of the College Football Playoff National Championship, fans will hear the familiar duo of Chris Fowler on play-by-play and Kirk Herbstreit as the analyst. This marks the 12th time the pair has met in a national title game.

Fowler and Herbstreit have been working side by side for nearly 30 years, dating back to their early days on College GameDay in 1996. They’ve been ESPN’s top booth pairing for the last 12 years, calling games together from the booth since 2014.

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Fowler joined ESPN all the way back in 1986 and served as the face of College GameDay from 1990 to 2014. Herbstreit arrived in 1995 as a sideline reporter before stepping into his longtime role as an analyst on GameDay in 1996. For a night this big, it doesn’t get more familiar than these two.

Indiana vs Miami broadcast team

Who are the referees for the Indiana vs. Miami game?

The officiating crew for Monday, January 19, 2026, will feature a full team of on-field officials, with Michael VanderVelde serving as the head referee, as previously noted.

A standard NCAA Division I FBS game uses an eight-official system on the field. The referee, Umpire, Down Judge, Line Judge, Back Judge, Field Judge, Side Judge, and Center Judge. Plus, a replay official will be working from the booth. Every one of those spots has already been filled for the title game. Also, alternates have been assigned as well in case anyone needs to step in due to injury or illness.

While the entire officiating crew is locked in, pregame coverage usually highlights just the head referee’s name. That’s why VanderVelde’s name is the one most fans will hear leading up to kickoff.

Who is the sideline reporter for the Indiana vs. Miami game?

On the sidelines, ESPN is bringing a familiar and trusted crew. Holly Rowe will cover the Indiana sideline, while Molly McGrath handles the Canes, delivering updates and insight throughout the game. This will be their fifth straight season working together as the sideline duo for the national championship.

Before kickoff, fans will also see Jen Lada and Jess Sims on the field in Miami as part of ESPN’s pregame coverage.

Rowe has been a full-time college football sideline reporter since 1998. On the other hand, McGrath has been covering college sports from the sidelines since at least 2013. Their chemistry and experience show, which is why ESPN keeps bringing them back for college football’s biggest night.

Which network is broadcasting the Indiana vs. Miami game?

ESPN is handling the broadcast for the national championship. And as usual, they’re going all out. Along with the main telecast on ESPN, fans will have plenty of alternative viewing options thanks to ESPN’s full MegaCast setup.

The standard broadcast is with Chris Fowler on play-by-play and Kirk Herbstreit providing analysis. It will air on ESPN.

If you prefer radio, ESPN Radio will feature Sean McDonough on play-by-play, Greg McElroy as the analyst, with Ian Fitzsimmons and Quint Kessenich reporting from the sidelines.

Looking for something different?

• ESPN2’s Field Pass will hand things over to “The Pat McAfee Show” crew. It’ll include Pat McAfee and AJ Hawk for a more laid-back, personality-driven watch.
• ESPNU’s Coaches Film Room offers a deeper X’s-and-O’s breakdown with a panel of former head coaches.
• On the ACC Network, the ACC Huddle Field Pass will feature commentary from Taylor Tannebaum, Eric Mac Lain, Eddie Royal, and Jimbo Fisher.
• There’s even a SkyCast option on ESPNews for fans who want a clean, overhead view of the action.

On the radio side for the home markets, the Indiana Hoosier Sports Network will be led by Don Fischer, Buck Suhr, and John Herrick. On the other hand, the Miami Hurricanes Radio Network will feature Joe Zagacki, Don Bailey Jr., and Josh Darrow.