“THIS IS SURREAL. I’M SO GRATEFUL.” American Idol Champion Jamal Roberts Is Stepping Into The Biggest Moment Of His Life Yet — Performing “The Star-Spangled Banner” At The Kickoff Event Inside Hard Rock Stadium In Miami Gardens, In Front Of The Largest Crowd He’s Ever Faced. Just Eight Months After Winning American Idol, Jamal’s Journey Has Turned Into A Full-Blown Dream Run. From Unknown Auditions To A National Stage Where Millions Will Be Watching, This Performance Marks A Powerful New Chapter. Fans Immediately Flooded Social Media After The Announcement, Calling It “Well-Deserved,” “Chills Already,” And “Only The Beginning.” Singing The National Anthem At Such A Massive Sporting Event Isn’t Just Another Gig — It’s A Statement. A Symbol Of How Far Jamal Has Come, And How Fast His Star Is Rising. One Voice. One Song. One Stadium Holding Its Breath. All Eyes Will Be On Jamal Roberts — And This Moment Is About To Be One For The History Books.

The College Football Playoff has revealed that Jamal Roberts, the winner of American Idol Season 23, will perform the national anthem ahead of Monday night’s Miami–Indiana showdown.

The Miami Hurricanes will face the Indiana Hoosiers at Hard Rock Stadium, with the stakes as high as they get in college football’s biggest spotlight.

Roberts will sing The Star-Spangled Banner following a presentation of the nation’s colors by members of the armed forces. Community participants will then unfurl a massive American flag before the anthem begins, capped off with a flyover from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Miami.

Roberts isn’t the only performer on the pregame lineup. The Florida Memorial University Ambassador Chorale is set to deliver America the Beautiful, while marching bands from both schools will appear during pregame and halftime. DJ Mal-Ski and percussion group Hussein & The Fire Drummers will also help keep the energy high throughout the night.

Miami enters the matchup with the comfort of playing at home, but head coach Mario Cristobal insists the approach remains unchanged.

“The routine doesn’t change at all,” Cristobal said. “You still check into a hotel, prepare the same way. The only difference is classes have started, and we’ve got 29 of the 30 new players practicing with us now, which has been great.”

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti acknowledged the size of the task ahead, calling Miami a complete team and pointing to quarterback Carson Beck as a major challenge.

“They’re impressive in all three phases,” Cignetti said. “Fast, physical, and playing with an edge. Coach Cristobal has done a tremendous job. It’s a big test for us, and we’re excited to get to work.”

With championship stakes, pageantry, and a national anthem performance from one of television’s newest stars, Monday night’s game promises to deliver both spectacle and substance before the first snap is ever taken.