Indiana Stays Perfect, Outlasts Miami 27–21 in Gritty January Classic

By Larry Belmontes

Date: 1/21/26

Perfect seasons don’t come easily, and they don’t survive without toughness.

The Indiana Hoosiers remained unbeaten and added another defining chapter to their historic run, defeating the Miami Hurricanes 27–21 in a physical, back-and-forth battle Monday afternoon at Hard Rock Stadium.

It wasn’t flashy.

It wasn’t dominant.

But it was complete.

And when January football turns into a test of composure, Indiana passed again.

A Slow Burn Turns Into a Street Fight

The opening half felt like a chess match. Indiana controlled tempo early with long, methodical drives, opening the scoring on a Nico Radicic field goal before extending the lead with a goal-line touchdown run by Riley Nowakowski.

Miami, meanwhile, struggled to find rhythm offensively, entering halftime down 10–0 despite solid yardage from quarterback Carson Beck.

That calm didn’t last long.

Momentum Swings — and Special Teams Chaos

The third quarter ignited everything.

Miami struck first behind Mark Fletcher Jr., who ripped off a 57-yard touchdown run to pull the Hurricanes within three.

Indiana responded immediately, and emphatically.

A blocked punt, recovered in the end zone, flipped momentum back in the Hoosiers’ favor and underscored the hidden-yardage battle that quietly defined the afternoon.

That moment mattered.

Trading Blows in the Fourth

The fourth quarter delivered exactly what January football promises: stress.

Fletcher scored again early to tie the game, but Indiana answered with a 12-yard quarterback touchdown run from Fernando Mendoza, restoring the Hoosiers’ lead.

Miami refused to go away. Beck connected with Malachi Toney for a 22-yard touchdown to make it 24–21 with just over six minutes remaining, giving the Hurricanes real belief.

Indiana never blinked.

Behind disciplined execution and clock control, the Hoosiers drove into range one final time, where Radicic drilled a 35-yard field goal with 1:42 left, sealing the game and preserving perfection.

Why Indiana Won

This wasn’t about explosive offense, it was about control.

Indiana:

• Won the turnover battle (0–1)

• Dominated time of possession (35:40)

• Converted key third and fourth downs

• Made the critical special teams play of the game

Miami had moments. Indiana had answers.

Final Word

Miami exits with pride, and proof they belonged on this stage. Beck threw for 232 yards, Fletcher powered the run game, and the Hurricanes fought until the final whistle.

But Indiana leaves with something rarer.

A perfect record.

Another pressure win.

And a growing belief that this season is becoming something historic.

The Hoosiers are still standing.

And the rest of college football should be paying attention.

Tune into Three And Out each season for PURE football talk with Larry B. and Teran Rodriguez each week!

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