How Many People Watched Fernando Mendoza, Indiana's Historic CFP Title Win vs. Carson Beck, Miami?

Monday's College Football Playoff National Championship Game was the second-most watched natty in CFP history, according to ESPN PR.

Per ESPN, "The telecast, which was up 36 percent year-over-year, also ranked as the most-viewed non-NFL sports telecast since the 2016 World Series Game 7. The Hurricanes-Hoosiers showdown ranks as the fourth most-watched college football game in the past 30 years and the eighth most-watched ESPN production all-time. The audience peaked at 33.2 million viewers in the first half."

Fans who tuned in were treated to a doozy. Fernando Mendoza and Indiana held off Miami, 27-21, highlighted by the Heisman Trophy-winner's clutch fourth-down touchdown run in the fourth quarter.

Fernando TD

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Indiana was quite the story in general, making for even better television. Mendoza was a 2-star recruit who was declined a walk-on offer from Miami before finding his way to Indiana, where he had one of the most magical seasons in college football history.

The Hoosiers have traditionally been an afterthought in football and came into the 2025 season with the most losses in college football history (715), though Northwestern has since passed them (718).

"I know Indiana's football history has been pretty poor with some good years sprinkled in there," head coach Curt Cignetti told reporters. "It was because there wasn't an emphasis on football, plain and simple. It's a basketball school. Coach [Bob] Knight had great teams. The emphasis [now] is on football. It's on basketball, too. But you've got to be good in football nowadays. ... We've got a fan base, the largest alumni base in the country, Indiana University. They're all-in. We've got a lot of momentum."

Cignetti is author of that transformation and forever a legend in the state. An undefeated season and a national title is incredible for any program—at Indiana, it was also inconceivable.

Until the 2025 season, that is.