The Indiana Hoosiers just sent a shockwave through the college football world-and they didn’t just win a national championship, they redefined what’s possible for Big Ten programs in the NIL and revenue-sharing era. With a 27-21 win over the Miami Hurricanes, Indiana capped a perfect 16-0 season and claimed its first-ever national title.
And the way they did it? That’s the kind of blueprint that could change the balance of power in college football for years to come.
Let’s be clear: this wasn’t a fluke. The Hoosiers didn’t sneak their way into the College Football Playoff and catch lightning in a bottle.
They bulldozed through the SEC’s Alabama Crimson Tide in the Rose Bowl, then handled the Big Ten’s own Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl before outlasting a tough Miami squad in the title game at Hard Rock Stadium. Indiana didn’t just win-they dominated, and they did it on the biggest stages in college football.
What’s even more compelling is the larger message this run sends. Indiana’s rise under Curt Cignetti isn’t just a feel-good Cinderella story-it’s a sign of what’s possible when the right ingredients come together: a strong coach with vision, a university willing to invest, and an alumni base ready to back the program in meaningful ways. In today’s college football landscape, where Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals and revenue-sharing have become central to program-building, Indiana just showed that the Big Ten is loaded with untapped potential.
Think about it-Big Ten schools are large public institutions with massive alumni networks, many of which are rooted in major metropolitan markets. That means access to capital, media exposure, and business connections that can fuel long-term success.
Indiana’s fan takeover of the Rose and Peach Bowls wasn’t just a show of support-it was a statement. This is what happens when a fanbase is fully activated and aligned with the program’s direction.
And while Cignetti deserves credit for steering the ship, this is about more than one coach. It’s about a system that can be replicated.
With the right leadership and a clear, sustainable strategy, other Big Ten programs could follow Indiana’s lead. The infrastructure is there.
The appetite is there. Now the blueprint is, too.
Looking ahead to the 2026 season, the Hoosiers are already projected to remain among the sport’s elite, alongside heavyweights like Texas, Ohio State, Georgia, and Notre Dame. That’s rarefied air-and Indiana has earned its seat at the table.
What separates Cignetti’s approach is how he’s leveraged the shifting dynamics of college football. The move from no compensation, to NIL, and now to NIL plus revenue sharing has created a new kind of parity.
Some coaches are still figuring out how to navigate it. Cignetti?
He’s thriving in it. He’s tapped into a base of alumni who are willing to invest in football in ways they hadn’t before-geographically, financially, and emotionally.
That kind of buy-in doesn’t just happen overnight, but once it’s there, it can be a game-changer.
Programs across the SEC and beyond would be wise to take notes. This isn’t just about Indiana.
It’s about what’s possible in this new era of college football. The Hoosiers just proved that the so-called sleeping giants in the Big Ten aren’t sleeping anymore-they’re wide awake, and they’re coming for the crown.