Miami vs Indiana Injury Report: Latest Updates for Tonight’s CFP Championship

• No. 10 Miami hosts No. 1 Indiana in the CFP National Championship tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET
• Sunday’s injury report brought positive news for Miami with Cole McConathy cleared
• Check out the latest Miami vs Indiana injury updates below

The No. 10 Miami Hurricanes host the No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers tonight in the College Football Playoff National Championship at Hard Rock Stadium. Sunday’s injury report provided encouraging updates for both teams hours before the 7:30 p.m. ET kickoff.

Miami received good news when defensive lineman Cole McConathy was removed from the injury report after being listed as questionable Saturday. Indiana kicker Brendan Franke was upgraded from questionable to probable. Cornerback Xavier Lucas remains suspended for Miami’s first half due to targeting.

The game airs on ESPN with actual kickoff scheduled for 7:50 p.m. ET.

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Jump to: Miami Injury Report | Indiana Injury Report

Miami Injury Report

The Hurricanes face a challenging first half without their top cornerback. Miami received positive injury news Sunday when Cole McConathy was cleared after appearing on Saturday’s report.

Xavier Lucas First-Half Suspension

Cornerback Xavier Lucas sits out the opening two quarters after his targeting penalty against Ole Miss in the Fiesta Bowl. Lucas leads Miami with eight passes defended this season and his absence creates a significant hole in the secondary.

Indiana’s offense will likely attack Miami’s cornerback depth early before Lucas returns after halftime. The Hurricanes must survive the first 30 minutes without their best cover corner against Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza.

Elija Lofton Ruled Out

Starting tight end Elija Lofton remains out after being carted off during the Fiesta Bowl. Lofton took a massive hit on a first-down catch and was reportedly seen throwing up blood on the sideline before leaving the game.

Lofton ranks fourth on Miami with 218 receiving yards and third with three touchdown receptions. His absence forces the Hurricanes into more three-receiver sets rather than their preferred two-tight-end packages.

Damari Brown Game-Time Decision

Cornerback Damari Brown is questionable with a left foot injury. Brown has missed all three playoff games but returned to practice last week and continues working toward availability.

Brown said his “expectation” is that he’ll play but it’s “not certain.” His return would provide critical depth with Lucas suspended for the first half and OJ Frederique having played just six snaps in the Fiesta Bowl.

Frederique told reporters he’s “fully healthy” and ready for tonight’s championship. His health combined with Brown’s potential return gives Miami more secondary options.

Cole McConathy Cleared

Defensive lineman Cole McConathy was removed from Sunday’s injury report after being listed as questionable Saturday. The true freshman was part of Miami’s defensive line rotation before the injury and could see action if needed.

Miami also lost linebacker Malik Bryant, wide receiver Daylyn Upshaw and defensive lineman Donta Simpson for the season. Simpson transferred to Missouri and is no longer with the team.

Indiana Injury Report

Indiana’s core roster remains healthy heading into the championship. The Hoosiers received encouraging news when kicker Brendan Franke was upgraded from questionable to probable after practicing Friday.

Brendan Franke Probable

Kicker Brendan Franke is probable after being upgraded from questionable. Franke serves as Indiana’s kickoff specialist and long field goal kicker. Head coach Curt Cignetti called his presence a “huge factor” for the Hoosiers.

Franke hasn’t played since October 25 with a groin injury. He made one of two field goal attempts this season, connecting on a 58-yarder. Both attempts came from 50 yards or longer.

His status fluctuated throughout the playoffs. Franke was listed as probable for the Rose Bowl before downgrading to questionable and eventually out on gameday. He was listed as out initially for the Peach Bowl before upgrading to doubtful and finishing as a game-time decision.

Stephen Daley Remains Out

Defensive lineman Stephen Daley stays sidelined after suffering a freak knee injury celebrating Indiana’s Big Ten Championship win over Ohio State. Daley leads the team with 19 tackles for loss and ranks fourth with 5.5 sacks despite missing the past two games.

Indiana gave up just 25 combined points in dominant victories over Alabama and Oregon without Daley. The Hoosiers’ defensive depth has proven capable of absorbing his absence.

Defensive Line, Secondary Depth

Defensive linemen Kellan Wyatt and Andrew DePaepe are also out. Defensive backs Jah Jah Boyd, Amariyun Knighten and Bryson Bonds remain unavailable. Running back Lee Beebe Jr. rounds out Indiana’s injury list.

Several players entered the transfer portal including DePaepe, Boyd and Knighten. Wide receiver Makai Jackson also entered the portal and won’t participate tonight.

Cignetti previously confirmed every player who saw action against Oregon in the Peach Bowl will be available for the championship. The statement came after a few players were hobbling against the Ducks.

Perfect Season on the Line

Indiana seeks its first national championship while attempting to become the first FBS team since 1894 to finish 16-0. The Hoosiers are in their second season under Cignetti, who led them to the playoff in both years.

Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza has thrown for 3,349 yards with 41 touchdowns and just six interceptions. Miami counters with transfer quarterback Carson Beck, who previously played at Georgia.

This marks just the second meeting between these programs and the first since 1966. Miami plays at home but is technically the away team as the lower seed. The actual kickoff is scheduled for 7:50 p.m. ET tonight on ESPN.