No School Delay for Hoosiers Fans-Even After a Historic Title Run
After a dream season that’s had Hoosier Nation buzzing from Bloomington to the backroads of Martin County, fans are hoping for one more miracle-this time, off the field. But if you're a student in Indiana banking on a school delay the morning after the College Football Championship, don’t count on it.
Indiana University’s improbable run to the title game against the University of Miami has sparked a wave of excitement across the state, and understandably so. The Hoosiers are on the cusp of history, led by Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who’s become a household name not just in Indiana, but across college football.
But when it comes to the morning after, school districts aren’t budging.
No Delay, No Day Off-Just a Lot of Sleepy Students
Indianapolis Public Schools and Carmel Clay Schools have both confirmed they’ll be operating on a normal schedule the day after the big game. That means alarms will be going off bright and early on Jan. 21, no matter how late the celebrations-or heartbreak-run the night before.
Mendoza’s alma mater, Christopher Columbus High School in Miami, made the call to cancel classes entirely on Jan. 20, honoring both their Heisman hero and the University of Miami’s appearance in the title game. But Indiana schools? They’re sticking to business as usual.
There was a glimmer of hope in Carmel, where some community members floated the idea of moving a previously scheduled two-hour delay for teacher planning from Jan. 21 to Jan. 20. But Carmel Clay Schools shut that idea down quickly.
“While we are certainly cheering on the Hoosiers, Carmel Clay Schools has no plans to call for a delay related to the championship game,” said Emily Bauer, the district’s director of community relations. “We anticipate a normal start to the school day, with the possibility that dedicated fans may arrive a bit sleepy on Tuesday.”
Indianapolis Public Schools echoed the same message: “There will be no schedule changes.”
So, that’s a pretty firm “no” across the board.
A 9-Year-Old’s Plea to the Governor
That didn’t stop some fans from taking their case all the way to the top.
Enter Jack Gibson, a 9-year-old from Martin County who proudly calls himself “the BIGGEST Indiana Hoosiers and Indianapolis Colts fan you will ever meet.” Jack took matters into his own hands, writing a letter to Governor Mike Braun asking for a two-hour delay so kids like him could stay up and soak in every minute of the championship game.
“I think it would be the ultimate Hoosier Hospitality move to make Tuesday, January 20th a 2-hour delay so kids like me can stay awake in class and not fall asleep during math,” Jack wrote.
He’s got his snacks lined up, his lucky IU gear ready, and the go-ahead from his parents to stay up late-because, as he put it, “this is HISTORY.”
Governor Braun reportedly sympathized with Jack’s enthusiasm, but called a statewide delay a “heavy lift.”
There’s Precedent-But Not Much Hope
This isn’t the first time fans have tried to turn a championship run into a school holiday. Back in 2015, a 15-year-old in Ohio petitioned then-Governor John Kasich to cancel school after Ohio State played Oregon in the first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship. The Buckeyes won that game 42-20, and the petition drew over 37,000 signatures-but students still had to show up the next morning.
So unless something drastic happens, Indiana students will likely be facing a regular school day-albeit with a few more yawns than usual.
Could Weather Be the Wild Card?
If the government won’t intervene, maybe Mother Nature will?
Not likely, according to the National Weather Service.
The forecast for Jan. 20 in Marion County calls for a low of 6 degrees, with wind chills dipping to -5 or even -10 degrees. That’s cold, but not quite cold enough to trigger a weather-related delay under Indianapolis Public Schools guidelines, which typically require “significantly below 0 degrees” for that to happen.
“Is it going to be a lower wind chill than average? Yes,” said NWS meteorologist Alexander McGinnis. “But it is common to have wind chills this low several times in the winter.”
And with dry conditions expected, there’s little chance of snow swooping in to save the day either.
Bottom Line: Set the Alarm
So, while Hoosier fans across the state will be glued to their screens cheering for a historic win, they’ll also need to keep one eye on the clock. Because come Tuesday morning, school’s still in session.
It’s not the ending fans were hoping for, but if IU pulls off the upset, something tells us the bleary-eyed walk to class will be worth it.