Gov. Ron DeSantis and Indiana Gov. Mike Braun (R) made a friendly wager ahead of the College Football National Championship between the #10 Miami Hurricanes and the #1 Indiana Hoosiers on Monday night in Miami Gardens. Gov. DeSantis has offered stone crabs and key lime pie from Joe's Stone Crab if the Hooisers win, and Braun has offered pork from Fischer Farms and pies from Wick's Pies if the Hurricanes take home the title.
Gov. Braun made the initial wager, with Gov. DeSantis countering a few hours later on social media.
As for the game itself, the Hurricanes (13-2) are seeking their first national championship since 2001, having defeated Texas A&M, Ohio State, and Ole Miss for a date with the Hoosiers, who have become college football's new kids on the block behind quarterback and Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza and Head Coach Curt Cignetti.
Indiana (15-0), which beat Alabama and Oregon to set up a matchup with the Hurricanes, had the most losses in college football history before this year's undefeated mark, a dubious title now held by Northwestern.
For context, the Hoosiers lost 49 games across seven seasons under Head Coach Tom Allen before Cignetti's arrival last season. Cignetti went 11-2. His two winning years at Indiana are equal to what they had since 2008.
Indiana also never won double-digit games in their history. Cignetti has already done that twice in Bloomington.
And while that all might be great, the Hurricanes are looking to spoil the storybook ending and the Hoosiers' first national championship in their home stadium. Under Head Coach Mario Cristobal, Miami is led by quarterback Carson Beck, running back Mark Fletcher Jr., wide receiver Malachi Toney, and a staunch defense that has allowed just fourteen points per game.
The game also features some hometown ties with Mendoza, who was raised in Miami and graduated from nearby Christopher Columbus High School in 2022. Crisotbal graduated from Columbus in 1988 and played with Mendoza's father, Fernando Mendoza Sr., at the school.
Cristobal went on to play for the University of Miami from 1989 to 1992, helping the Hurricanes win two national titles in the process. Now, he is looking to bring a championship to the school as an alum and end the Hoosiers' dream season.
