Reveals Indiana Hoosiers’ 16-0 Triumph

• 16-0 record, national champions
• 27-21 win over Miami
• Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza
• First-time champions after 120 seasons

The Hoosiers entered the season with the most total losses in college football history, having only three bowl victories in 120 seasons, the latest in 1991. Head coach Curt Cignetti, known for his stern demeanor, said after the championship game, “We’re 16-0, national champions at Indiana University, which I know a lot of people thought was never possible. It probably is one of the greatest sports stories of all time.”

Cignetti’s strategy involved changing the program’s culture and recruiting key transfers, including 13 players from James Madison and star quarterback Fernando Mendoza. The team’s success has also attracted significant alumni support, with more than 800,000 living Hoosiers ready to help fund the turnaround.

Mendoza, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, finished the game 16 of 27 passing for 186 yards. He delivered the decisive play in the fourth quarter: with the Hoosiers trailing 17-14 and just over nine minutes remaining, the team faced fourth-and-four on Miami’s 12-yard line. Cignetti opted to go for it.

> “Fernando, I know he’s great in interviews and comes off as the All-American guy, but he has the heart of a lion when it comes to competition,” Cignetti said. “That guy competes like a warrior … Can’t say enough about his effort on that play and our team finding a way to get it done.”

Mendoza added, “It wasn’t the perfect coverage for it, but I trust my linemen and everybody in that entire offense. That entire team had a gritty performance today. And we were all putting our bodies on the line, so it was the least I could do for my brothers.”

Cignetti’s coaching style emphasizes a warrior mentality. The team’s culture shift is evident in the way players embrace risk, as seen in the fourth-down decision that paid off. Athletic Director Scott Dolson and President Pam Whitten have supported Cignetti’s vision, keeping the program stable at the top.

Billionaire Mark Cuban, a supporter of the program, told News Of Los Angeles that the season has been “better than anybody can possibly imagine.” He added that as long as Cignetti, Dolson, and Whitten remain, the Hoosiers will continue to thrive.

Mendoza is expected to announce his move to the NFL and become the likely No. 1 pick in the upcoming draft. Former TCU quarterback Josh Hoover, who threw for 3,472 yards and 29 touchdowns last season, is poised to take the starting role. Cignetti has also secured more than a dozen top transfer commitments, including former Michigan State wide receiver Nick Marsh and former Wisconsin offensive lineman Joe Brunner. According to On3’s Team Transfer Portal Index, the Hoosiers rank No. 1 for next season, suggesting the 2024 success is not a fluke.

Don Fisher, the play-by-play voice of Indiana men’s basketball and football since 1973, reflected on the championship:

> “For me, it does, there’s no question,” he told News Of Los Angeles. “I’ve been doing this for 53 years now and I’ve been a part of three national championship basketball teams and now I’ve got an unbeaten (football) champion. In football, nobody ever thought it could happen – and it has.”

• The Hoosiers’ 16-0 record and national title mark a historic turnaround.
• Fernando Mendoza’s Heisman-winning season and game-winning play were central to the victory.
• Strong alumni support and strategic recruiting have built a sustainable program.
• The future looks bright with a promising quarterback pipeline and top transfer commitments.