In a stunning culmination of a remarkable two-year revival, the Indiana Hoosiers have etched their name into college football history, capturing their first-ever national championship with a 27-21 victory over the Miami Hurricanes.
A Perfect Season Sealed by Grit
The victory on Monday night completed a flawless 16-0 season for the Hoosiers, a feat that matches the perfect-season win total last achieved by Yale in 1894. The win was sealed by a heroic, fourth-quarter touchdown dive from Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza, a play that embodied the team's relentless spirit.
With the Hoosiers leading by just three points and facing a critical fourth-and-four from the Miami 12-yard line with 9:18 remaining, head coach Curt Cignetti made a bold call. After initially sending the kicking unit onto the field, he called a timeout and drew up a quarterback draw for Mendoza.
The quarterback, not known as a primary runner, took the snap, slipped one tackle, absorbed a hit, spun around, and launched himself horizontally towards the end zone, stretching the ball over the line for a decisive 12-yard score. "I had to go airborne. I’d die for my team," said Mendoza, the projected top pick in the upcoming NFL draft. "They need me to take a shot in the front or the back, whatever it is, I’m going to do it."
The Turnaround Artist's Triumph
The championship marks an extraordinary turnaround for a programme with a historically losing record. Before Cignetti's arrival two years ago, Indiana had endured a nation-leading 713 losses over more than 130 years of football. Now, the College Football Playoff trophy is headed to Bloomington, Indiana.
"Let me tell you what. We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done! Words can’t describe it," an elated Cignetti stated after the game. He praised his quarterback's toughness, saying, "He keeps on getting back up. Just a great competitor. There’s no way this doesn’t get done without that kind of performance."
Mendoza, a transfer from the University of California who grew up near Miami's campus, finished the game with 186 passing yards. His clutch touchdown provided just enough cushion to withstand a late surge from the Hurricanes, who were powered by running back Mark Fletcher's 112 yards and two touchdowns but never managed to take the lead.
Historic Symmetry for Indiana
The victory carries a poignant symmetry for the university and its fans. It arrives exactly 50 years after Bob Knight's legendary basketball team completed a perfect 32-0 season to win the national title in the state's most beloved sport.
This football title, secured through the expanded 12-team playoff format, signifies a new era for Indiana athletics. The journey was defined by resilience, epitomised by Mendoza playing through a bloodied lip from an early hit and making the season-defining play when it mattered most. The Hoosiers' rags-to-riches story is now complete, crowned with a perfect record and the ultimate prize in college football.
