The Indiana Hoosiers made their final walk from Assembly Hall to Memorial Stadium on Saturday, greeting fans, signing autographs, and exchanging fist bumps with those lined up to cheer them on.
They stepped onto their home field for the first time as national champions.
This moment was beyond what even the most devoted Indiana supporters could have imagined when Curt Cignetti took the helm of major college football’s historically struggling program in 2023. Just over two years later, here they were, folding chairs set up on the field, trophies displayed across the dais, and a series of presentations to conclude the celebration.
It was a fitting conclusion to an exceptional season.
“From the bottom of my heart, thank you Hoosier Nation,” said Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza as the 35-minute ceremony wrapped up with players, coaches, and fans uniting to sing the school’s fight song. “Playing here has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Thank you so much, and my teammates and I are forever grateful to all of you. God bless. Go Hoosiers!”
Heisman Trophy Trust CEO Jeff Price brought the trophy that will remain on campus permanently. University president Pam Whitten assured the half-filled stadium that this would not be the last football championship for these students. Some seniors even assisted local legend John Mellencamp in performing “Hurts So Good” before the iconic “We Are The Champions” echoed through the stadium.
“The greatest university in the country is now home to the greatest football team in the United States of America,” Whitten proclaimed to thunderous applause.
yet, the fans, much like the team, had to endure the harsh conditions on Saturday.
The temperature clung just above 10 degrees, wind chills dipped below zero, and the forecast threatened a foot of snow for the celebration of major college football’s first 16-0 season since the 1890s.
Players, many hailing from warmer states like Virginia or Florida, bundled up and quickly shared their thoughts.
Yet, despite the harsh weather, neither the players nor these devoted fans who had hoped for years for a return to respectability were deterred, especially when winning a championship—Big Ten or national—seemed out of reach.
Thanks largely to Cignetti, along with the coaches and 13 players from James Madison, Indiana heads into next season as the defending national champions and Big Ten champions, boasting both the nation’s longest winning streak and longest home winning streak.
“First of all, I can’t express what Indiana, the fans, my coach, and my teammates have meant to me,” remarked All-American linebacker Aiden Fisher, who also followed Cignetti. “These two years have transformed my life for the better—thank you, God, for making me a Hoosier.”
Cignetti quickly fulfilled his promise to win, as the Hoosiers achieved a school-best 11-2 record in 2024. Still, many fans, having witnessed previous promising seasons crumble, were doubtful about the Hoosiers’ ability to maintain that success in 2025.
They not only maintained it; Indiana exceeded those expectations with a record-setting season.
The Hoosiers won games by substantial margins, showcased late-game heroics, and triumphed in challenging venues like Oregon and Penn State. They defeated traditional powerhouses Ohio State and Alabama, and reclaimed their storybook journey in Miami for the title game, where the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner secured a 27-21 victory on Miami’s home turf with a remarkable, powerful touchdown run that epitomized Indiana’s rise to glory.
So impressive was Mendoza that he began making television appearances this week, featuring on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Good Morning America,” before announcing on Friday his decision to enter this year’s draft.
But first, he wanted to make one more trip back to Bloomington.
“The Heisman Trophy is the ultimate team award,” Mendoza told the audience. “I want to thank God, the Heisman Trophy Foundation, and IU.”
Then, Cignetti, usually composed, showed genuine joy in sharing this moment with his national championship team—albeit briefly, as he aims to keep college football’s perfect story rolling.
“Chapter 3 begins tomorrow,” he exclaimed.
