Future Prospects for Indiana and Miami Post 2025-26 College Football Playoff

The 2025-26 College Football Playoff was wild. Miami vaulted back into the national spotlight, and Indiana showed up out of nowhere as a legit powerhouse.

Indiana pulled off the win and took home the national championship. Miami made a serious comeback too, which is still kind of hard to believe if you’ve followed their ups and downs.

Now, both programs are staring down the offseason. The grind’s already started for coaches and players—transfers, recruiting, and next season’s plans are all in motion.

Indiana’s Meteoric Rise and Future Challenges

The Indiana Hoosiers have been on an insane run for two seasons. They finished a perfect 16-0 and grabbed the national title.

Coach Curt Cignetti’s fingerprints are all over this, along with a group of talented players who came in from James Madison University (JMU). But here’s the catch: a lot of those key guys are leaving, and that’s going to shake up the roster in a big way.

Key Departures and Roster Turnover

Some of the most important players from JMU—wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, linebacker Aiden Fisher, defensive end Mikail Kamara, and running back Kaelon Black—are out. They weren’t just productive; they really got what Cignetti wanted from the team.

It stings even more to lose Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza and junior All-Big Ten cornerback D’Angelo Ponds. Those are some massive shoes to fill, honestly.

Recruiting Outlook and Transfer Portal Activity

Still, Indiana’s been hustling on the recruiting trail. They landed their first top-30 recruiting class since 2022, and they’re clearly beefing up that defensive line.

ESPN 300 defensive tackles Gabe Hill and Cameron McHaney are in, along with four-star defensive end Kevontay Hugan. On the offensive side, four-star athlete Henry Ohlinger joins after running for over 1,000 yards in each of his last three high school seasons.

Indiana’s also been busy in the transfer portal, pulling in 17 commitments. Some of the bigger names:

• Josh Hoover: Quarterback from TCU with over 9,600 passing yards.
• Nick Marsh: Wide receiver from Michigan State.
• Joe Brunner: Guard from Wisconsin.
• Tobi Osunsanmi: Defensive lineman from Kansas State.
• A.J. Harris: Cornerback from Penn State.
• Jiquan Sanks: Safety from Cincinnati.
• Preston Zachman: Safety from Wisconsin.

Under-the-Radar Offseason Priorities

Everyone’s talking about the new faces, but Indiana’s run game improvement was a big part of their success. With top backs Black and Roman Hemby gone, it’s up to guys like Khobie Martin and Lee Beebe Jr. to step up.

That’s something to keep an eye on during spring and summer. The Hoosiers will need to keep their offense balanced if they want to stay in the mix.

2026 Season Predictions

Indiana’s 2026 schedule isn’t doing them any favors. They’ve got Ohio State and USC at home, plus tough road games at Michigan and Washington.

Even with all the roster changes, a College Football Playoff spot isn’t out of reach. Most are predicting a 10-2 or 9-3 finish, but honestly, who knows?

Miami’s Resurgence and Future Prospects

The Miami Hurricanes put together a season that surprised just about everyone. They finished 13-3 and made their first CFP appearance in twenty years.

Coach Mario Cristobal’s got them moving in the right direction, but now he’s got to replace a bunch of key players who are probably headed to the NFL.

Key Departures and Offensive Questions

Miami’s losing most of its starters, including quarterback Carson Beck, four offensive linemen, and three defensive linemen. That’s a lot of experience out the door.

They’ve done well finding quarterbacks in the transfer portal, and there’s a lot of buzz about former Duke QB Darian Mensah possibly joining. Still, there are lingering questions—will offensive coordinator Shannon Dawson stick around? And can they really build the offense around freshman wideout Malachi Toney?

Recruiting Outlook and Transfer Portal Activity

On the recruiting front, Miami landed its third top-10 class in four years. The headliner is five-star offensive tackle Jackson Cantwell.

Other big recruits include:

• Dereon Coleman: Dual-threat quarterback, ranked No. 160 overall.
• Vance Spafford: ESPN 300 wide receiver, ranked No. 130.
• Somourian Wingo: ESPN 300 wide receiver, ranked No. 159.
• Milan Parris: ESPN 300 wide receiver, ranked No. 235.
• Jordan Campbell: Linebacker, ranked No. 150 overall.

Miami hasn’t been as aggressive in the transfer portal as usual, but watch out if they land Darian Mensah. Some other transfers coming in:

• Vandrevius Jacobs: Wide receiver from South Carolina.
• Cam Vaughn: Wide receiver from West Virginia.
• Omar Thornton: Safety from Boston College.
• Jake Weinberg: Place-kicker from Florida State.
• Jack Olsen: Place-kicker from Northwestern.

Under-the-Radar Offseason Priorities

Miami’s offensive line was the backbone of their season, with guys like Francis Mauigoa and Anez Cooper leading the way. Now, with several key linemen moving on, keeping that group strong is going to be a major focus.

Offensive line coach Alex Mirabal is known for developing talent, so he’ll have his work cut out for him. If he can pull it off again, Miami might just stay in the hunt.

2026 Season Predictions

Miami wants to keep riding their recent wave of success. They’re hungry for another shot at a championship.

With a fresh batch of recruits and some clever moves in the transfer portal, the Hurricanes look like real ACC and CFP contenders for 2026. It’s not a sure thing, but the potential’s there.

For more thoughts on the 2025-26 College Football Playoff and what’s ahead for Indiana and Miami, you might want to check out the full article on ESPN.