On Monday, January 20th, the Indiana Hoosiers did what some thought impossible just a few months prior. They won the college football National Championship. They were doubted and written off, even during their historic season. Some still didn’t believe in the Hoosiers and their quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Despite all this, the Hoosiers walked into Miami’s home stadium and left as the champions.
Fernando Mendoza and Curt Cignetti were the faces of this team. Mendoza wasn’t a flashy guy. “Yeah, no, I’d never really heard of him before this year. Even at the start of the season, I didn’t hear much about him. I didn’t understand that Indiana was a serious team until they beat Illinois 63-10. That put them on the map for me, and I understood that Fernando was a great player,” said Connor Goebel. Instead of relying on pure talent, he put in the work. He didn’t have many offers coming out of high school, and couldn’t go to his dream school of Miami. He grew up minutes from their stadium, and his mom played tennis there. Despite this heartbreak, he didn’t give up.
Mendoza worked with limited opportunities, understanding that he had to prove himself. He worked without guarantees, putting himself in a position where he couldn’t be ignored. He took the chance to transfer to Indiana, giving him the chance to play with his brother and work with Curt Cignetti.
This chance paid off. Indiana’s rise might have seemed to be overnight, but it wasn’t. When Cignetti arrived in 2023, he focused on internal growth. They weren’t worried about outside opinions or headlines. They built a cohesive offense and a defense that was as physical as they get. Fernando stepped in to be at the helm of this offense and a leader for the team. Cignetti clearly saw the work Mendoza had put in, so he trusted him as the starter and leader for the team.
The defense deserves credit as well. No matter how good the offense is, no team can go 16-0 if it can’t count on their defense. The Hoosiers allowed the second-fewest points per game and the fourth-fewest yards per game. Key players like Aiden Fisher and D’Angelo Ponds were All-American and big leaders for the team.
In the playoffs, Mendoza showed his value and leadership for the team. He won the Heisman after the regular season and seemed to play with a determination to prove he deserved it. He made huge plays and put his body on the line for his team. “Yeah, I know they had a really good regular season, but I still didn’t think they would even make the National Championship. I thought they would be like the Vikings last year, but I guess not. They really did become a fun team to watch, and I did start rooting for them, probably by the semi-finals. I was excited when they beat Miami in the national Championship too,” said Tristan Stanton. Even after the regular season, people still doubted Indiana would perform in the playoffs. Those doubts were forced out, especially after they beat Oregon 56-22.
The Indiana Hoosiers managed to go 16-0, a feat not accomplished since the 1800’s. This accomplishment made it impossible for anyone to call the Hoosiers frauds. Even though they are losing some key players to the NFL Draft, Curt Cignetti will likely make the Hoosiers a threat for years to come.
