Indiana’s Championship Run Caps a Season to Remember - and Signals They’re Just Getting Started
If you’re still catching your breath after Indiana’s title win over Miami, you’re not alone. In a season packed with surprises, upsets, and breakout stars, the Hoosiers delivered the final exclamation point - and maybe the biggest one of all. A program that had long lived in the shadows of the Big Ten just climbed the college football mountain, and did it behind a coach-quarterback duo that’s already etched into school history.
Let’s break down what Indiana’s win means - not just for this season, but for the future of the program and college football as a whole.
The Committee Got It Right
Say what you want about the College Football Playoff system, but this year, it delivered. Indiana and Miami looked like the two best teams in the country heading into the title game, and their showdown didn’t disappoint.
Miami’s defense came to play - their front seven gave Indiana fits all night, and their pass rush made life tough for Fernando Mendoza. But that’s the thing about elite quarterbacks: they find a way.
Mendoza didn’t have the cleanest stat line of his season, but he showed exactly why he’s the projected No. 1 overall pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. Poise, precision, and the ability to make the big throw when it mattered most - it was all on display.
In a game where the margins were razor-thin, Indiana had the ultimate difference-maker under center. Miami had the talent, no question.
But Indiana had Mendoza. That was the edge.
Indiana Isn’t Going Anywhere
This wasn’t a one-year wonder or a lucky run. Indiana’s rise is built on a foundation that lasts - elite coaching, a strong locker room culture, and a system that gets the most out of its players.
Curt Cignetti didn’t just take over a struggling program; he transformed it. And he did it without the benefit of top-tier recruiting classes or five-star talent.
In fact, some of Indiana’s key contributors were players Miami passed on. That’s the kind of thing that says more about coaching than stars on a recruiting profile.
Cignetti has built something real in Bloomington. And if this season proved anything, it’s that Indiana is no longer a feel-good story - they’re a legitimate powerhouse.
The Core Isn’t Gone - It’s Just Evolving
Yes, Indiana will lose a lot of talent to the NFL Draft. That’s what happens when you win at the highest level. But don’t expect a rebuild - this team has key pieces returning that will keep the Hoosiers in the national spotlight.
Start with wide receiver Charlie Becker. He’s as steady as they come, and his performance in the Big Ten Championship (six catches, 126 yards, and a touchdown vs.
Ohio State) was a reminder of how dangerous he can be in big moments. With Becker back, Indiana’s passing game won’t skip a beat.
On defense, two names jump out: Isaiah Jones and Rolijah Hardy. Jones, a junior linebacker, racked up 61 tackles and 7 sacks this season - a force in the middle of the defense.
Hardy, the team’s leading sacker with eight on the year, added 82 total tackles and was a nightmare for opposing quarterbacks. These two will be the anchors of a defense tasked with defending both a Big Ten title and a national crown.
And don’t be surprised if all three - Becker, Jones, and Hardy - hear their names called early in the 2027 NFL Draft. They’re that good.
Josh Hoover Steps Into a Golden Opportunity
Replacing a Heisman winner and national champion is never easy. But Josh Hoover might just be walking into one of the best setups in college football.
The TCU transfer threw for over 3,400 yards last season and showed he can sling it. Now, he gets to do it in a system built by Curt Cignetti, with weapons like Charlie Becker and Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh at his disposal. That’s a pretty nice landing spot.
No one’s expecting Hoover to replicate Mendoza’s dream season - Big Ten title, national title, Heisman, No. 1 draft pick - but he doesn’t have to. He just needs to be himself, manage the offense, and take advantage of the talent around him. If he does that, he could be in for a breakout year of his own.
Curt Cignetti’s Legacy Is Already Taking Shape
Let’s call it what it is: what Curt Cignetti has done at Indiana is nothing short of historic.
In just two seasons, he took a program with no national titles, no Big Ten championships, and turned it into the best team in the country. He didn’t do it with five-star recruits or a blueblood budget. He did it with vision, discipline, and a belief that Indiana could be more than just a basketball school.
Beating Ohio State in the Big Ten title game? Check.
Running the table and going undefeated? Check.
Winning a national championship? Check.
This is the kind of turnaround that gets talked about for decades.
Cignetti didn’t just give Indiana fans hope - he delivered a championship. And if he keeps this up, he won’t just be one of the best coaches in the country right now. He’ll be in the conversation for one of the best to ever do it.
Final Word
Indiana’s story this season is what makes college football special. A program with no national pedigree, led by a transfer quarterback and a coach with something to prove, rose to the top of the sport.
And the best part? This doesn’t feel like the end of a magical run.
It feels like the beginning of something even bigger.
The Hoosiers are here - and they’re not going anywhere.