From Transfer Portal to Rose Bowl: How Kahlil Benson and Louis Moore Helped Power Indiana’s Stunning Rise
PASADENA, Calif. - Not long ago, Kahlil Benson and Louis Moore were part of an Indiana program that couldn’t get out of its own way. Back in 2023, the Hoosiers limped to a 3-9 finish, needed triple overtime to escape Akron, and were stuck in a locker room where the fight song felt more like a formality than a celebration. That season cost Tom Allen his job and ushered in a new era under Curt Cignetti.
Now? Indiana is 13-0, Big Ten champions, and heading into the Rose Bowl as the No. 1 team in the country, set to face No.
9 Alabama on New Year’s Day. And Benson and Moore - who both left Bloomington in the wake of that disastrous 2023 season - are right in the middle of it all.
Their return wasn’t just a feel-good story. It was a game-changer.
A Second Chance - and the Right Fit
After transferring out, Benson landed at Colorado under Deion Sanders, while Moore took his talents to Ole Miss. Both saw the writing on the wall at Indiana and made moves they thought would be best for their careers. But after Cignetti began laying the foundation for a turnaround, the door opened - and both players walked back through it.
“I thought they were good players when they were here,” Cignetti said back in November. “They were productive players where they went. They saw the program change here and wanted to be a part of it.”
For Benson, the timing couldn’t have been better. With Trey Wedig graduating, a vacancy opened at right tackle.
That gave Benson a chance to reunite with offensive line coach Bob Bostad, a familiar face from his first stint in Bloomington. More than just a reunion, though, it was a reset - the kind of opportunity that allows a player to grow, both on and off the field.
“Coming back here just means a lot,” Benson said during Rose Bowl media day. “I had the opportunity to come back and play with a lot of the guys that I played with before I left, and I just wanted to see some familiar faces and see these guys again.”
When he met with Cignetti upon returning, there was no tension, no awkwardness. Just laughter - and a clean slate. The only thing that remained from his first go-round was his jersey number: 67.
This time around, Benson brought a different mindset. He wasn’t just hoping to play - he was determined to become the best version of himself.
That attitude paid off in fall camp, where he beat out fellow transfer Zen Michalski for the starting right tackle job. He went on to start 10 of 13 games, anchoring a line that protected Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza and gave up just 18 sacks all season.
“This is where I needed to be at,” Benson said.
Moore’s Return Sparks the Defense
On the other side of the ball, Moore’s return was just as impactful. Even with questions around his eligibility, Cignetti didn’t hesitate to bring the senior safety back into the fold. That decision turned out to be a home run.
Moore became the heartbeat of Ola Adams’ safeties room, a ballhawk who consistently made game-changing plays. He racked up six of Indiana’s 17 interceptions during the regular season, tying him for second nationally among all FBS players.
For a defense that needed playmakers, Moore delivered.
And like Benson, Moore could feel the difference the moment he stepped back on campus. The slogans had changed - gone were the “LEO” signs that once covered the facility.
In their place: “W.I.N.,” “Fast. Physical.
Relentless.,” and the College Football Playoff logo. The message was clear - this was a new era, with new expectations.
“It’s more business this time around,” Moore said. “[Camaraderie and love for one another] is an unspoken more so than anything.”
It’s not that the team doesn’t care for each other - quite the opposite. But the culture now emphasizes accountability, urgency, and a shared goal that goes beyond slogans. And it’s working.
From Overlooked to Overwhelming
The transformation isn’t just happening inside the locker room. Benson and Moore have noticed it in everyday life around Bloomington.
Where once they could walk across campus unnoticed, now they’re stopped for pictures. Fans recognize them.
The energy is different.
“The fans are everything, man,” Benson said. “We have something bigger to play for as well within ourselves.”
That “something bigger” is a shot at history. Indiana, once an afterthought in college football, is now a legitimate national title contender. And for two players who once left the program searching for more, the journey back has been nothing short of remarkable.
They used to sing the fight song after games because they had to. Now, they sing it because they’ve earned it.