Miami Hurricanes face off against Indiana Hoosiers for CFP national championship
The University of Miami Hurricanes are just hours away from taking on the Indiana Hoosiers in the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens.
If you're headed to the big game on Monday evening to watch the Miami Hurricanes, get ready for bumper-to-bumper traffic, road closures, and heightened security measures.
But inside you can expect plenty of celebrations ahead of, during and after the big game.
Championship party rages on in Miami Beach
Thousands of college football fans and locals flocked to South Beach to celebrate a free concert ahead of the collegiate title game between the Miami Hurricanes and Indiana Hoosiers on Monday night.
There were extra security measures in place on Sunday after things got chaotic Saturday night.
On Saturday, hundreds of people rushed through security and jumped barricades; however, additional metal detectors, along with a beefed-up police and security presence, were implemented for Sunday's performances.
When asked what the game's outcome would be, Hurricanes fan Sergio just had two words: "Go U!"
"'Canes taking it home all day," he told CBS News Miami.
Indiana fan Scott Sikkenga said he used to go to games three decades ago and told CBS News Miami that current college football games are "unbelievable."
"I used to go to games 30 years ago, and you could sit wherever you wanted to, buy tickets the day of the game, sit wherever you want and now, it's just unbelievable," he said.
Tickets skyrocket ahead of College Football Playoff National Championship game
Take a long-downtrodden team that happens to have the world's largest alumni base and another playing a home game while in search of its first national title in 25 years and the math is simple.
This is the toughest ticket in town. And, in fact, Monday night's title game between Indiana and Miami will be among the most expensive tickets in college football history.
According to Ticketdata, the lowest "get-in" price at Hard Rock Stadium, not far from the Miami campus, was $3,652 about 24 hours before kickoff. That's 8% off what it had been earlier in the week, but still in position to be the most expensive price since the data started being tracked in 2009.
Roads closed, security increased ahead of championship game
If you're headed to the big game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, you're not going to be alone.
Outside Hard Rock Stadium, traffic is expected to become a major problem as heightened security and road closures are just some of the reasons why fans might want to get to the College Football Playoff National Championship game early.
Attendees should be aware that pre-entry screening checkpoints are in place prior to beeing allowed on Hard Rock Stadium grounds by the CFP, and re-entry will not be allowed once your tickets have been scanned at the stadium security gates.
In addition, ticketholders should also expect to see an extended security preimeter with layers of ticket checkpoints as they approach the stadium on foot.
Fans attending the game will be required to have their game ticket scanned while walking into the interior (orange) parking lots at Hard Rock Stadium.
Plus, parking is now completely sold out — if you still need a spot to park, passes are being sold for hundreds or thousands of dollars on resale sites.
You should also expect long drives to and from the game.
If you're going to Hard Rock Stadium, it will likely be in a car. And the City of Miami Gardens will implement some road closures before and after the game, starting at 4 a.m. Monday, all the way to 1 a.m. Tuesday.
The City of Miami Gardens shared a traffic advisory on social media and detailed the different road closures starting Monday and lasting until Tuesday morning.
Pres. Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio headed to game in Miami Gardens
The White House confirmed that President Donald Trump will attend the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Monday.
In addition to Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also be in attendance.
Because of this, fans attending the game should expect additional traffic and enhanced security measures in and around the stadium.
Why is there so much hype surrounding the CFP Championship game?
Indiana (15-0) is on an historic run. A program that played in a grand total of 13 bowl games in the 130-some years before coach Curt Cignetti arrived in 2024 is now on the cusp of an undefeated season and a national title.
Cignetti let his players bask in the history for a few days, then the festivities surrounding the CFP final for a few more. Then, it was time for business.
"I think it's time to sharpen the saw now, throw those warm fuzzies out the door, that sentimentalism," Cignetti said. "It's time to go play a game against a great opponent."
The Hoosiers bring the Heisman Trophy winner into the game, quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who grew up within walking distance of Miami — fondly known as "The U."
Trying to corral him will be Miami pass rushers Rueben Bain and Akheem Mesidor, who have given offensive linemen fits throughout a 13-2 season that placed the Hurricanes one win away from their first title since 2001.
"I don't need no outside noise," Bain said of the hype - about the title game and his prospects as an NFL first-round draft pick. "Just the love from people from Miami."
The Hoosiers are 8 1/2-point favorites, according to MGM SportsBook, though the betting numbers that tell this story the best are 100-1. Those were the odds on both these teams at different points during a season that produced two unlikely finalists that were products of two unlikely turnarounds.
The secret to the success? No secret, says Miami coach Mario Cristobal.
"Very, very simple. Football is not complicated — blocking, tackling, angles, numbers, leverage," he said. "People are complicated, and people complicate things surrounding football. The right people with the right intentions working the right way, that's undefeated."