Who will play hero in Monday's College Football Playoff national championship? Probably someone who finds the end zone.
The pregame narrative: I've got two TD scorer predictions — one on each side — for the Miami Hurricanes vs. Indiana Hoosiers matchup. Malachi Toney has some enticing value for the underdogs, but Omar Cooper Jr. is my top pick to hit the end zone.
Check out my Miami vs. Indiana TD picks for the national championship on Jan. 19.
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Miami vs. Indiana TD picks
Best bet: Cooper to score (+125)
Elijah Sarratt is the Hoosiers' alpha receiver, but he has minus odds to score. I'm not paying that when I can get a much better price on Cooper, who also has a nose for the end zone.
If you haven't watched much Indiana football this year, here's a couple things to know:
- Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza leads the nation in touchdown passes (41). He has 2+ TD passes in 10 of 15 games, with eight total TD passes across two playoff games.
- The Hoosiers share the ball. They have five players with 30+ catches, and nobody has reached the 900-yard mark.
-> Go to full Miami vs. Indiana national championship markets
Given how Indiana spreads the love, Cooper rarely seems a mountain of targets. But he sees plenty of high-quality ones, and he has the touchdowns to prove it.
Sarratt leads the nation with 15 receiving TDs, but Cooper is close behind him with 13. And Cooper paces the Hoosiers in catches (64) and yards (866).
In the Big Ten championship game, Cooper sustained a lower-body injury in the first quarter and was knocked out of the game after just six snaps. He failed to record any catches.
Excluding that game, though, Cooper has a touchdown in 10 of 14 matchups this season.
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It wouldn't surprise me at all if Cooper and Sarratt both score in this game, as they've done six times this year (including both CFP games).
So again, give me the guy with the markedly better TD price.
Key stat: Excluding the Ohio State game that he left early, Cooper has at least three catches and a touchdown in six straight games.
NCAAF national championship TD prediction
Toney to score (+140): I like Indiana to win pretty comfortably, and I think Miami could have a tough time putting up points. But if I'm going to back any of the Hurricanes to score, it has to be Toney.
This is a pretty compelling price for a guy who's 5-1 on his anytime TD prop in his past six games.
In that span, Toney is averaging 9.8 targets, 2.5 rush attempts and 86.4 scrimmage yards.
-> Bet now on No. 10 Miami vs. No. 1 Indiana
Miami will need to get the ball in the hands of its best playmaker, whether that means jet sweeps, swing passes, slants or go balls. The freshman is lightning quick and has an elite catch ability.
I mean, just look at this shiftiness:
THE FRESHMAN 🔥
— ESPN (@espn) January 9, 2026
Malachi Toney turned on the jets! pic.twitter.com/pCvyMAOknz
Miami vs. Indiana CFP picks made at 3:50 p.m. on Jan. 17, 2026.
