With the national championship just days away, Riley Nowakowski isn’t getting swept up in the hype. He knows the stakes.
He knows the spotlight. But he’s not letting it change his focus - not yet.
Instead, he’s locked in on what’s coming: a Miami Hurricanes defense that doesn’t just play fast - it plays with purpose, precision, and a whole lot of physicality.
“They’re fast, they’re physical, and they’re violent,” Nowakowski said, breaking down the Hurricanes like a guy who’s spent hours in the film room - because he has. “That’s kind of what they pride themselves on, and it shows on the film at all three levels.”
He’s not exaggerating. From the edge rushers bringing heat off both sides, to linebackers plugging gaps with conviction, to defensive backs who don’t hesitate to lower the boom - Miami’s defense flies to the ball and makes you feel it.
“You even got guys on the third level, safeties, cornerbacks, coming down, sticking people,” Nowakowski added. “They play really violent, and they play really fast.”
That speed? It’s not just athleticism - it’s trust.
Trust in the system. Trust in each other.
That’s what allows a defense to play without hesitation.
“They’re not worried about making mistakes,” he said. “They know their brothers are going to have their back. They’re all rallying to the ball, all chasing it.”
Indiana’s road to the title game has been anything but ordinary - Rose Bowl, Peach Bowl, now the biggest stage in college football. But for Nowakowski, things are starting to feel... familiar. Comfortable, even.
“It definitely feels like we’re right back in it,” he said. “That rhythm both mentally and physically, I appreciate it a lot.”
That rhythm starts at the top - with head coach Curt Cignetti, who sets the tone before sunrise.
“He comes in every day at four or five in the morning and watches film until everybody’s gone,” Nowakowski said. “Nothing we’ve done before is going to earn us anything in the future.”
It’s a mindset that’s spread through the locker room. Block out the noise.
Focus on the work. Let the results speak for themselves.
“Me personally, I switch the TV off,” Nowakowski said. “We don’t need to hear it.”
The magnitude of the moment? It’ll hit eventually.
But not now. Not while there’s still one more game to win.
“It’s kind of like a dream come true,” Nowakowski said. “But winning a big game just gives you an opportunity for another one.”
For Indiana, that next opportunity is the biggest yet. And they’re treating it like business as usual.