who was the mvp of the national championship

The MVP of the most recent college football national championship was Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who earned the Offensive MVP award in the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship. Indiana defensive lineman Mikail Kamara was named Defensive MVP in the same game.

Quick Scoop

• Game context : Indiana defeated Miami 27–21 on January 19, 2026, to win the national title and cap a perfect 16–0 season.

• Offensive MVP : Fernando Mendoza (QB, Indiana) completed key throws under pressure and added a crucial rushing score, leading the Hoosiers’ offense.

• Defensive MVP : Mikail Kamara (DL, Indiana) swung momentum with a pivotal blocked punt and multiple tackles, anchoring the defense.

In recent forum and social chatter, much of the buzz centers on how Indiana, historically not a powerhouse, produced a breakout MVP performance from Mendoza to secure a storybook first national title.

Recent MVP trend

If you were asking more generally “who was the MVP of the national championship” for recent years:

• 2026: Fernando Mendoza (Offensive MVP, Indiana QB); Mikail Kamara (Defensive MVP, Indiana DL).

• 2025: Will Howard (Offensive MVP, Ohio State QB); Cody Simon (Defensive MVP, Ohio State LB).

• 2024: Blake Corum (Offensive MVP, Michigan RB); Will Johnson (Defensive MVP, Michigan CB).

These MVP picks are a big part of current latest news and forum discussion because they highlight how quickly the balance of power in college football can shift from traditional blue bloods to surprising contenders like Indiana.

Bottom note: Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.