Miami will be without Elija Lofton in CFP national…
Miami Hurricanes tight end Elija Lofton will not play in Monday evening’s College Football Playoff national championship sport due to a lower-body injury.
Lofton was carted off during Miami’s semifinal win over Ole Miss and was seen as a long shot to play the national title sport against the Indiana Hoosiers on Jan. 19.
The sophomore is a important loss for the Hurricanes as they put together to face the Hoosiers without their one of their main pass-catchers.
The beginning tight end recorded 23 catches with 218 receiving yards — ending fourth on the staff in both classes — and three touchdowns this season.
Elija Lofton reacts during the fourth quarter against the Ohio State Buckeyes after the College Football Playoff Quarter Final Game at AT&T Stadium on December 31, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. Getty Images
Lofton hauled in a 15-yard catch against Ole Miss in the semis prior to what grew to become a season-ending injury.
His best efficiency of the season got here on Sept. 20 when he recorded 4 receptions and 43 receiving yards in a 26-7 win over the rival Florida Gators.
Miami’s path to the national championship sport almost never occurred, as it entered the event on the bubble to even make the CFP to start with.
Elija Lofton warms up prior to the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at State Farm Stadium on January 8, 2026, in Glendale, Arizona. ISI Photos via Getty Images
Now at 13-2, the Hurricanes, who ranked No. 10 in the nation prior to the playoff, have a shot at their first national title since the 2001 season.
Indiana enters the championship as the favourite, powered by quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy winner and the projected No. 1 total choose in the upcoming NFL draft.
Mendoza has thrown for 3,349 yards and 41 touchdowns to six interceptions this season while finishing 73 p.c of his passes.
Indiana, which is 15-0, has never gained a national title in soccer.
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