Monday night, we crown a National Champion. Douglas Farmer shares his top Indiana Hoosiers player props ahead of their matchup with Miami.
The Indiana Hoosiers’ offense has faltered just once this season... in a 13-10 win over Ohio State in the Big Ten title game.
However, the Miami Hurricanes’ aggressive defensive front could pose a real challenge for the Hoosiers.
My top Indiana player props expect the Hurricanes to find success up front, but perhaps not over the top.
For even more college football picks for the CFP National Championship Game, check out our full Miami vs. Indiana predictions!
Best Indiana Prop Bets for the CFP National Championship
| Player | Pick |  |
|---|---|---|
 Roman Hemby | Under 62.5 rushing yards | <<-114>> |
| Fernando Mendoza | Under 15.5 rushing yards | <<-114>> |
| Omar Cooper Jr. | Over 45.5 receiving yards | <<-114>> |
Roman Hemby Under 62.5 rushing yards
The Indiana Hoosiers have had only three games come down to one score. It is worth noting that in the two closest of those — a 13-10 win against Ohio State in the Big Ten title game and a 27-24 win at Penn State — veteran running back Roman Hemby ran for just 52 and 55 yards, respectively.
Both the Buckeyes and the Nittany Lions cut into the Hoosiers’ usual explosive rush plays, each giving up just two explosive rushes, for a total of four on 59 combined attempts.
The Miami Hurricanes' defense ranks No. 5 in the country in explosive rush rate against. And keeping the Indiana backfield in check should be one of the Hurricanes’ top priorities in slowing down the Hoosiers’ offense. It sets up Fernando Mendoza as much as anything else does.
Fernando Mendoza Under 15.5 rushing yards
A quick reminder that in college football, yards lost to sacks count as negative rushing yards for the quarterback. Ohio State took down Mendoza three times to cost 10 yards, Penn State also managed three sacks for 17 yards, and even Wisconsin dragged down an Indiana quarterback five times to lose 29 yards.
Miami’s defensive line is the best among them. Akheem Mesidor and Reuben Bain Jr. lead the way with 19 combined sacks, on a defensive front that has logged 13 sacks in three College Football Playoff games, accounting for 85 yards.
This may come as a surprise, but it is still a truth: The combination of Indiana’s offensive line and Mendoza’s reluctance to scramble, though often holding onto the ball too long, makes the Hoosiers the most vulnerable to the pass rush among the teams the Hurricanes have faced in the postseason.
This is less a bet on Mendoza having a bad game and more a bet on Miami sacking him multiple times.
Omar Cooper Jr. Over 45.5 receiving yards
While Elijah Sarrat is Indiana’s best receiver, he approached 100% only in the Playoff semifinal. A tweaked hamstring at the start of November cost him three games and then kept him from looking like a game-breaker for three more.
In that stretch, less Sarrat meant more Omar Cooper Jr. Before Sarrat’s injury, Cooper averaged 4.1 catches per game against FBS competition for 53.7 yards per game and three touchdowns.
Remove a catchless performance against the best passing defense in the country, the slog of a Big Ten title game against Ohio State, and Cooper’s numbers have jumped to 4.2 catches per game for 47.2 yards and six touchdowns in six games.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Category: General Sports
