The Hoosiers celebrate after winning the title.
Indiana has reached the top of college football for the first time.
The Hoosiers are now national champions.
Top-seeded Indiana defeated No. 10 Miami 27-21 in the 2025–26 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.
The win capped a perfect season and rewrote program history.
“A lot of guts,” head coach Curt Cignetti said.
“That’s what it took to win a national title.”
A Program Rebuilt From the Ground Up
Two years ago, Indiana football was struggling.
The program had posted records of 2-10, 4-8, and 3-9.
Curt Cignetti arrived with bold belief.
Few imagined Indiana becoming a national champion so quickly.
That belief turned into results.
Indiana finished the season 16-0.
The Hoosiers now join rare company.
Only 1894 Yale and 2019 North Dakota State finished Division I seasons undefeated.
Indiana also became the first first-time national champion since Florida in 1996.
Indiana’s Perfect Season Etched in History
The Indiana national championship run was dominant.
The Hoosiers stayed unbeaten through the regular season and playoffs.
They entered the College Football Playoff as the top seed.
They never looked overwhelmed on the biggest stage.
The title also gave the Big Ten its third straight CFP championship.
Conference dominance continued through Indiana’s breakthrough season.
Mendoza Delivers in His Hometown
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza delivered a storybook performance.
The championship game was played in his hometown of Miami.
He faced the same Miami program that never recruited him.
Last season, Mendoza lost to Miami while playing for California.
This time, the ending was different.
Mendoza led Indiana to the national title against the Hurricanes.
He completed 16 of 27 passes.
He threw for 186 yards and ran for a crucial touchdown.
Mendoza earned Offensive MVP honors.
His calm leadership defined the Indiana national championship win.
“I would die for my team,” Mendoza said.
Heisman Winner Seals Championship Legacy
Mendoza’s season reached historic heights.
He became the eighth Heisman Trophy winner to capture a CFP or BCS title.
He delivered several defining moments.
Indiana fans filled the stadium and overwhelmed the home crowd.
Even celebrity support followed the Hoosiers.
Rapper Lil Uzi Vert attended to cheer Mendoza and Indiana.
Defense Makes the Difference
Indiana’s defense rose when it mattered most.
Defensive lineman Mikail Kamara made the game-changing play.
Kamara blocked a Miami punt.
The moment shifted momentum permanently toward Indiana.
That effort earned Kamara Defensive MVP honors.
Indiana’s defense sealed the national championship victory.
Indiana Adds to Undefeated Legacy
Indiana now holds a unique sports distinction.
The school owns the most recent undefeated men’s football champion.
It also owns the most recent undefeated men’s basketball champion.
That basketball title came during the 1975–76 season.
Few programs share success across both major sports.
Indiana now stands alone in modern college athletics history.
Bracket Challenge Sees Rare Perfection
The Indiana national championship also delivered surprises off the field.
Twelve brackets finished perfect in the College Football Bracket Challenge.
That number is unprecedented.
No perfect bracket has ever occurred in the Men’s March Madness challenge.
The CFP’s 12-team format increased the odds.
Still, perfection remains incredibly rare.
Fans can explore how it happened.
The complete perfect bracket tracker tells the full story.
A Championship That Changes Everything
Indiana’s College Football Playoff national championship reshapes the program’s future.
The Hoosiers are no longer underdogs.
They are champions.
And they earned it with belief, resilience, and guts.
