97.9 The Hill’s Deborah Stroman and Brighton McConnell chat on Friday, Jan. 16 ahead of the 2026 College Football Playoff national championship game coming up on Monday. As Miami takes on Indiana in the Hurricanes’ home stadium, what storylines are we following on and off the field? What would a Miami win mean not just for the program, but for the ACC? And is Indiana football’s turnaround in these past two seasons among the best stories in sports history? Debby says why she thinks it deserves an asterisk.

Dr. Deborah Stroman — who is a consulting professor for UNC and Virginia, sports businesswoman, former basketball player, and columnist — chats with 97.9 The Hill’s Brighton McConnell each week about headlines from the world of sports. Covering both local and national stories, Stroman specializes in connecting the on-field product to the impact of sports on business, culture and society. Listen to their past conversations on Chapelboro, Spotify and wherever you get your podcasts.

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