Indiana Wins First-Ever Football Title in Thrilling 27-21 Upset Over Miami
In a nail-biting finish, the Indiana Hoosiers secured their first-ever football title with a hard-fought 27-21 victory over top-ranked Miami Hurricanes at the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night. The win marked a historic moment for the program, which had played in just 13 bowl games in its 130-year history before coach Curt Cignetti took the reins in 2024.
The Hoosiers' improbable run to the national title was spearheaded by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who led his team on a thrilling fourth-quarter drive capped off with a decisive touchdown run that sealed the win. Mendoza's impressive performance, which included 186 yards passing and a game-sealing 12-yard run, proved too much for Miami to handle.
Trailing by three points in the fourth quarter, Cignetti called two key plays that set up the winning drive. The first was a successful fourth-and-4 conversion on a back-shoulder fade to Charlie Becker, which put Mendoza in position to make a game-changing play. The second came when Cignetti called a timeout and sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12-yard line, before rolling out a quarterback draw that Mendoza broke through for the winning touchdown.
The win marked a stunning turnaround for Indiana, which had been considered a long shot to make it to the national championship just a year ago. The Hoosiers' 16-0 season, fueled by Cignetti's unorthodox coaching style and Mendoza's emergence as a star quarterback, was one for the ages.
"It's a miracle," said Cignetti in the aftermath of the game. "If you keep your nose down and keep working, anything is possible." The coach's words proved prophetic, as Indiana became just the 14th team to win a national title without losing a single game.
The Hoosiers' victory also marked a first for Mendoza, who grew up within walking distance of Miami and was once considered a two-star recruit. His journey from obscurity to national stardom is one that will be remembered for years to come.
As the team celebrated their historic win, it was clear that this championship season would go down in Indiana history as one for the ages. The Hoosiers' improbable run, fueled by Cignetti's leadership and Mendoza's incredible play, proved that anything is possible when you believe in yourself and your team.
In a nail-biting finish, the Indiana Hoosiers secured their first-ever football title with a hard-fought 27-21 victory over top-ranked Miami Hurricanes at the College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night. The win marked a historic moment for the program, which had played in just 13 bowl games in its 130-year history before coach Curt Cignetti took the reins in 2024.
The Hoosiers' improbable run to the national title was spearheaded by Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza, who led his team on a thrilling fourth-quarter drive capped off with a decisive touchdown run that sealed the win. Mendoza's impressive performance, which included 186 yards passing and a game-sealing 12-yard run, proved too much for Miami to handle.
Trailing by three points in the fourth quarter, Cignetti called two key plays that set up the winning drive. The first was a successful fourth-and-4 conversion on a back-shoulder fade to Charlie Becker, which put Mendoza in position to make a game-changing play. The second came when Cignetti called a timeout and sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12-yard line, before rolling out a quarterback draw that Mendoza broke through for the winning touchdown.
The win marked a stunning turnaround for Indiana, which had been considered a long shot to make it to the national championship just a year ago. The Hoosiers' 16-0 season, fueled by Cignetti's unorthodox coaching style and Mendoza's emergence as a star quarterback, was one for the ages.
"It's a miracle," said Cignetti in the aftermath of the game. "If you keep your nose down and keep working, anything is possible." The coach's words proved prophetic, as Indiana became just the 14th team to win a national title without losing a single game.
The Hoosiers' victory also marked a first for Mendoza, who grew up within walking distance of Miami and was once considered a two-star recruit. His journey from obscurity to national stardom is one that will be remembered for years to come.
As the team celebrated their historic win, it was clear that this championship season would go down in Indiana history as one for the ages. The Hoosiers' improbable run, fueled by Cignetti's leadership and Mendoza's incredible play, proved that anything is possible when you believe in yourself and your team.
just saw the video of mendoza's game-winning run on youtube link 
. They got destroyed by Indiana in the regular season and everyone wrote them off, but now they're acting like it's some kind of miracle win 
. Newsflash: if you're gonna get upset by a team that lost to you twice before, that's not a national championship, that's just a fluke 
. Indiana was the real deal all season long and they deserved that title from the start 
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I'm seriously hyped for Indiana! Their underdog story is giving me all the feels 
. Who would've thought a year ago they'd be taking down Miami like that? It's crazy to think about how far Mendoza's come from being a 2-star recruit to leading his team to a national title 
. And can we talk about the clutch plays by Cignetti and the squad? That fourth-and-4 conversion was pure genius