Indiana’s Moment of Glory Gives Way to Bigger Goals: The College Football Playoff Awaits
Inside a buzzing press conference room just moments after Fernando Mendoza was crowned the 2025 Heisman Trophy winner, a voice rang out from the back.
"Monday!" one Indiana player shouted.
“Monday,” head coach Curt Cignetti echoed with a smirk, barely missing a beat.
It was a lighthearted moment, but the message behind it couldn’t have been clearer: the celebration ends, the mission continues. The Hoosiers are headed to the College Football Playoff as the No. 1 seed, and while the Heisman is a historic milestone for the program, the real prize is still out there - a national championship.
From Glory to Grit
Indiana has had a week that most programs only dream of. A Big Ten title, a clean 13-0 record, a Heisman Trophy winner, and a haul of All-Big Ten and All-America honors.
Bloomington is buzzing, and rightfully so. But Cignetti, ever the tone-setter, reminded everyone in New York: “The party’s over Tuesday.”
That’s been the underlying theme of Indiana’s season - enjoy the moment, then move on. Because distractions, even the positive kind, can be dangerous. And when you’re undefeated, ranked No. 1, and carrying the weight of a program’s best season in modern memory, the margin for error shrinks.
Indiana’s handled the spotlight like a veteran contender, not a team breaking new ground. The Heisman hype, the national attention, the “team of destiny” whispers - all of it could’ve derailed a lesser group. But this team, led by Cignetti’s steady hand and Mendoza’s poise, has stayed locked in.
Mendoza’s Moment, and the Message That Followed
Mendoza, still soaking in the surreal experience of winning college football’s most prestigious individual honor, took a moment on Monday to reflect - and reset.
“We’re 13-0, and I believe we’ve earned these couple of bye weeks,” he said. “Not only selfishly - I want to let this bad boy [the Heisman] sink in - but also for my teammates who went to New York. Let all of us recover a little bit.”
It’s a rare luxury in December: time. No game this Saturday.
No travel. Just recovery, film, and focus.
Mendoza called it “a great opportunity to rest our bodies and stay sharp on our fundamentals.” That’s the kind of mindset Indiana needs to carry into the College Football Playoff, because the road ahead only gets tougher.
Cignetti’s Subtle Shift - and Steady Hand
Even Cignetti, known for his no-nonsense demeanor, has allowed himself to smile a little more this past week. And why not?
The Big Ten Championship was Indiana’s first since 1967. It was also Cignetti’s first conference title as a Power 4 head coach.
Watching Mendoza hoist the Heisman was a culmination - not just for the quarterback, but for the program Cignetti has methodically built.
But if you think he’s getting comfortable, think again. Cignetti’s already turned the page, and his players are following suit.
Mendoza summed it up best: “This page is now folded. Our focus right now is winning the College Football Playoff.
That’s what would make this trophy so much sweeter.”
The Rose Bowl Awaits
Indiana will head to Pasadena for a New Year’s Day showdown in the Rose Bowl, but their opponent is still to be determined. No.
8 Oklahoma and No. 9 Alabama square off Friday night for the right to face the Hoosiers in the CFP quarterfinals.
That means Indiana will go more than three weeks without playing a game. And if last year’s playoff taught us anything, it’s that long layoffs can be a curse.
All four top seeds with first-round byes lost their opening games in last season’s CFP. The format has since changed - top-four seeds now reflect the final rankings, not automatic qualifiers - but the risk of rust is still very real.
Still, for a team that’s been through the emotional ringer and is dealing with the physical toll of a 13-game stretch, the time off might be more blessing than burden. Mendoza certainly thinks so.
“The recovery from the weekend - the sleep, the emotions - it was a little tough,” he admitted. “But now I believe I’m in a good state. I’m humble and I’m hungry right now for the College Football Playoff.”
The Final Push
Indiana has already made history. They’ve shattered expectations, rewritten the school record book, and brought national attention to a program that’s long lived in the shadows of Big Ten powerhouses.
But this team isn’t satisfied. Not yet.
They’re not just playing for validation anymore. They’re playing for a title.
For a legacy. For the right to say they finished what they started.
“I think this [Heisman] is pushing us forward,” Mendoza said. “Now our team understands - even in the lift this morning - we need to be humble and hungry.
It’s congrats, all this stuff, ‘Hey, let’s go, we did it, we got the trophy.’ But now it’s time to get back to work.”
The party’s over. The playoff is next. Indiana’s not just here to make history - they’re here to make a statement.