Indiana CFP hero Jamari Sharpe says he 'always wanted to be a Miami Hurricane' growing up

One of the biggest storylines of Indiana's 27-21 College Football Playoff National Championship triumph over Miami was Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza beating his hometown team, one that hadn't offered him a scholarship when he was a recruit.

As it turns out, he wasn't the only Hoosier hero spurned by his hometown Hurricanes. Up by six points in the final seconds, Indiana cornerback Jamari Sharpe -- also a Miami-area native -- intercepted Carson Beck to seal Indiana's first national title.

After the game, Sharpe told CBS Sports' Jenny Dell that growing up, he dreamed of playing for the Hurricanes but never got the chance.

"This game meant a lot to me, you know?" Sharpe said. "Growing up, I ain't gonna lie, I always wanted to be a Miami Hurricane. I always wanted to play in the Dolphins' stadium, as you can see. And you know, they didn't recruit me, so I just took that, I just took that, brung it on the field, brought that anger on the field to make a good play to seal the deal for my team."

The "Sharpe" last name will now bring up two bad memories for the Hurricanes in national championship settings. In 2003, Hurricanes defensive back Glenn Sharpe -- Jamari's uncle -- was called for a controversial pass interference against Ohio State. The Buckeyes won 31-24, ending Miami's bid for consecutive titles.

Jamari Sharpe was a three-star recruit out of Miami Northwestern Senior High School and, as he indicated, Miami was not among schools interested in him. He committed to Indiana in the class of 2022 and stayed through the Hoosiers' struggles in 2022 and 2023 and the coaching change to Curt Cignetti, who turned a longtime cellar dweller into a contender almost immediately. Now, Sharpe is a national champion after playing hero in the stadium he had dreamed of playing in all along.