
The fairy tale has a happy ending. Indiana, the losingest college football program in history coming into the season, romped through the 2025 season without a blemish and roared to a 27–21 win over Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game to claim its first title. The No. 1-seeded Hoosiers capped a 16–0 season, the first such season since the 1800s, in dominant fashion. Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza was 16 of 27 for 186 yards and scored an absurd 12-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter on a fourth-and-4 play. Now, it’s off to the NFL draft for Mendoza and a host of other Hoosiers. Follow Sports Illustrated for postgame reaction to the Hoosiers’ win.
Live updates from College Football Playoff national championship game
More College Football from Sports Illustrated
Listen to SI’s college sports podcast, Others Receiving Votes, below or on Apple and Spotify. Watch the show on SI’s YouTube channel.
- Sports World Erupts Watching Indiana Celebrate Improbable National Championship
- Fernando Mendoza Broke Into Tears in Postgame Interview As Indiana Won First Title
- Fernando Mendoza Was Nothing but Clutch in National Championship Win
- Way-Too-Early 2026 College Football Top 25: Where Does National Champion Indiana Land?
- 2026-27 College Football National Championship Odds (Ohio State and Indiana Set as Co-Favorites)
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Indiana 27, Miami 21: Postgame Reaction to Hoosiers’ First CFP National Championship.