who won the mvp in the college football championship

Fernando Mendoza, Indiana’s quarterback, won the Offensive MVP of the 2026 College Football Playoff National Championship, and defensive end Mikail Kamara was named Defensive MVP in the same game.

Quick Scoop

• Indiana Hoosiers won the 2026 national title over Miami, completing a perfect 16–0 season.

• Fernando Mendoza earned Offensive MVP after throwing for around 186 yards and scoring a crucial rushing touchdown on a late fourth-down run that effectively sealed the game.

• Mikail Kamara took Defensive MVP thanks to a game-changing blocked punt in the third quarter that was recovered for a Hoosiers touchdown and flipped the momentum.

Why Mendoza Got MVP

• Managed the offense efficiently, avoided turnovers, and delivered a highlight fourth-quarter touchdown run on a designed QB draw on fourth down, stretching the ball over the goal line.

• His performance capped a Heisman-winning season and added another major piece of hardware to an already decorated year.

Defensive Star: Kamara

• Blew through Miami’s protection to block a punt, directly leading to a Hoosiers touchdown that turned a tight 10–7 game into a more comfortable lead.

• Though his stat line was modest, that single special-teams play is widely described as the moment that broke Miami’s momentum and secured his MVP nod.

TL;DR: Fernando Mendoza (Indiana QB) was the Offensive MVP, and Mikail Kamara (Indiana DE) was the Defensive MVP in the latest college football national championship.

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