From Underdogs to Unstoppable: Indiana's Rise to the National Title Stage Has One Final Test
Indiana enters Monday night’s national championship game in Miami as an 8.5-point favorite - and after what they’ve done in the College Football Playoff, it’s hard to argue with the oddsmakers.
The Hoosiers didn’t just win their first two playoff games. They dominated.
Blowing out Alabama and Oregon by a combined 69 points, Indiana has gone from postseason question mark to undeniable powerhouse. But for head coach Curt Cignetti, that’s exactly where the danger lies.
Because this time last year, Indiana was in a very different place.
They were coming off an 11-2 season, a breakthrough campaign that ended with a first-round CFP loss to Notre Dame - a game that followed a regular season defeat at Ohio State. The critics were quick to pounce.
Indiana had a nice record, sure, but they hadn’t beaten the big boys. The narrative was clear: good team, soft schedule, not ready for the spotlight.
Fast forward to 2025, and the skepticism didn’t exactly disappear. Indiana’s nonconference slate was met with plenty of side-eye.
A 63-10 demolition of then-No. 9 Illinois made people take notice, but still - no major road wins, no five-star scalps.
Not yet.
Then came the run that changed everything.
A win at Iowa? Solid, but not headline material.
A win at Oregon? That raised eyebrows - but maybe it was a fluke?
A win at Penn State? Impressive, but Penn State was having a down year, and the game was tight.
Week after week, Indiana kept winning. And week after week, the doubters kept finding reasons to look the other way.
Even after a Big Ten title game win over Ohio State - yes, that Ohio State - the questions lingered. The Buckeyes had just beaten Michigan and were focused on the CFP, people said. Maybe they weren’t at full strength.
But then came the postseason statement.
Indiana didn’t just beat Alabama and Oregon - they overwhelmed them. Two national powers, both dispatched with ease. At that point, the country had no choice but to pay attention.
And that includes ESPN’s Kirk Herbstreit, who a year ago questioned whether Indiana even belonged on the field after their loss to Notre Dame. Now? He’s singing a very different tune.
“They’re dominating,” Herbstreit said ahead of the national championship. “Right now, they’re playing as well as anybody in the sport.
They’re probably as well-coached as any team I’ve watched. And all year, consistently, there are very few games where you see them make mistakes.
You’ve got to give them all the credit in the world.”
Same coach. Same culture.
Many of the same players. But a completely different level of respect.
And that’s exactly what has Cignetti on high alert.
He’s coached long enough to know that praise can be just as dangerous as pressure. That it’s easier to stay sharp when you’re fighting for respect - and harder when everyone’s already handing it to you.
“There’s been a lot of pro-Indiana hype, a lot of rat poison out there,” Cignetti said Sunday in Miami, referencing the wave of praise his team has received heading into the title game.
One moment in particular stuck with him - a viral video from ESPN’s Holly Rowe, who captured the emotional end to Indiana’s final practice, as players embraced and reflected on their journey.
Cignetti understands the sentiment. He’s lived it with this group - a close-knit team full of veterans who’ve been through the grind together. But he also knows what’s at stake.
“I happened to see the Holly Rowe thing on social media this morning about our guys hugging each other at the end of practice,” he said. “It is a close team. I’ve witnessed quite a bit of sentimentalism throughout the week from some of our seniors who we’ve been with quite a long time.”
And that’s the challenge now. Not just preparing for a great opponent, but managing the emotions of a season - and for some, a career - that’s nearing its final chapter.
“It’s time to sharpen the saw now, throw those warm fuzzies out the door,” Cignetti said. “It’s time to go play a game against a great opponent.
We’ve got to have a sharp edge going into this game. You don’t go to war with warm milk and cookies.”
Indiana has gone from being told they didn’t belong to being the team no one wants to face. They’ve answered every question, silenced every critic, and turned doubters into believers. But now comes the final test - not just of talent, but of focus.
One more game. One more chance to finish what they started.
And if Indiana plays the way they’ve played all season? They won’t just win a title - they’ll leave no doubt about who owns college football’s biggest stage.