How the Indiana Hoosiers Changed College Football Forever
The Indiana Hoosiers did the unthinkable by winning their first-ever national championship with a perfect 16-0 record. Indiana became the first team to finish 16-0 since Yale did so in 1894. The Hoosiers were also the first new national champion since the Florida Gators in 1996.
It’s not only that Indiana managed to pull off this success, but also how it did it. Many believe the Hoosiers achieved the most remarkable turnaround in college football history and may have altered the sport forever in the process.
What Makes Their Success So Notable
When Curt Cignetti accepted the job as Indiana’s head coach in 2024, no one expected him to find success as quickly as he did. Before arriving in Bloomington, the Hoosiers had one of the worst records in college football, finishing 3-9. That mark placed them at the bottom of the Big Ten. However, once Cignetti took over, everything changed.
In his first season leading Indiana, the Hoosiers finished 11-2, with their only two losses coming at the hands of Ohio State and Notre Dame, both of which played in the national championship game that season. This turnaround was unheard of for a Power Four school, let alone a Big Ten team.
In 2025, Cignetti’s squad took it to the next level, proving the previous season was not a fluke. As mentioned, the Hoosiers finished with a perfect record, becoming the only team to do so under the 12-team playoff model. They also defeated three top-10 opponents during the regular season, including No. 9 Illinois, No. 3 Oregon, and No. 1 Ohio State. However, it’s how Indiana pulled off this success that makes the achievement so impressive.
How Indiana Changed College Football
Before the Hoosiers won the national championship, the prevailing belief was that teams needed to be well-coached and dominant in recruiting to win championships. Indiana is a well-coached team, as Cignetti has proven; however, the Hoosiers flipped that narrative by showing that effectively utilizing the transfer portal may be the biggest key to taking a program to the next level.
Gone are the days when the Alabamas, Georgias, and Clemsons of the world demonstrated that recruiting was the most important metric for success. Teams no longer need top-10 recruiting classes year after year to be contenders. Thanks to name, image, and likeness opportunities and the 12-team playoff, any program can win at a high level, even without elite recruits.
Indiana entered the national championship with zero five-star recruits, seven four-stars, and 55 three-stars. Its starting quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, won the Heisman Trophy after transferring from Cal as a former two-star walk-on. In 2024, Indiana ranked No. 46 nationally in recruiting, according to 247Sports. In 2025, the Hoosiers finished with the No. 39 class. What they achieved with lesser-known recruits is mind-boggling; however, the transfer portal is where Indiana truly reigned supreme.
The Hoosiers ranked No. 25 nationally in the transfer portal, and the talent they acquired helped propel them to a national title. Beyond Mendoza, several notable transfers played key roles in Indiana’s success.
Starting running back Roman Hemby, who transferred from Maryland, led the Hoosiers in rushing with 1,120 yards and seven touchdowns. Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, a transfer from James Madison, led the team in receiving touchdowns and finished with 830 yards. Defensive back Louis Moore, who transferred from Ole Miss, led the Big Ten with six interceptions.
Not only did the Hoosiers thrive through the transfer portal, but they also succeeded through experience. Sixteen of their 22 starters were in at least their fourth season of college football, showing that maturity and development played a major role in their championship run.
Overview
It is clear that Cignetti has discovered a new recipe for winning football games, and other programs are likely to follow suit. College football is an ever-changing sport, and it appears that the transfer portal and experience now reign supreme.
With conferences like the SEC moving to a nine-game conference schedule, a 16-0 season may be rare moving forward. Whether fans like it or not, increased parity is here to stay as long as NIL and the expanded playoff exist. Teams will either adapt or be left behind.
