For more than a century, Indiana football lived on the margins of the sport, better known for perseverance than prominence. On Monday night, that history was rewritten.
The No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers completed a perfect season and captured their first national championship, holding off the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes, 27-21, in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game at Hard Rock Stadium. In doing so, Indiana delivered one of the most unlikely title runs college football has ever seen.
Under second-year head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana entered the season with modest expectations and ended it 16-0, standing alone atop the college football world. The Hoosiers’ climb culminated with a performance that reflected the identity they forged all season — physical, opportunistic, and unflinching in the biggest moments.
Indiana struck first, controlling the early tempo behind a balanced offensive attack and disciplined defense. A short touchdown run and a field goal gave the Hoosiers a 10-0 lead, making the crowd that leaned heavily toward the Hoosiers erupt in cheers. The Hurricanes responded with energy after halftime, using their speed to claw back into the game and cut into Indiana’s lead.
Momentum swung decisively in the third quarter when Indiana’s special teams delivered a championship-defining play. A blocked punt was scooped up and returned for a touchdown, restoring a two-score lead and igniting the Hoosiers’ sideline. It was the kind of moment that had defined Indiana’s postseason run — capitalizing on mistakes and turning them into points.
Miami refused to quit as Mark Fletcher Jr. found the end zone to cut the deficit to 24-21 and kept pressure on Indiana into the fourth quarter. But facing a critical fourth down, Indiana’s offense leaned on its Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, who powered through the Miami defense for a bruising touchdown run (literally!). The score extended the lead to 24-14 and underscored Indiana’s faith in its identity when the stakes were at their highest.
The Hurricanes mounted one final drive in the closing minute, but quarterback Carson Beck threw an interception deep in Hoosier territory, sealing a championship and sending players, coaches, and fans into celebration.
When the clock expired, Indiana players poured onto the field, many in disbelief. A program long associated with struggle had just completed an undefeated season and claimed college football’s ultimate prize.
“It took a lot to get here. But I’ll tell you what it took to come out ahead in this game: It took a lot of guts,” Cignetti said postgame.
For Indiana, the victory was more than a championship. It was validation — proof that persistence, belief, and the right vision could transform even the most unlikely program into a national champion.
“We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done.”
