Have the Indiana Hoosiers ever won a National Championship in Football?

Charlie Zschau Updated: Jan 14 2026 19:56

Curt Cignetti has elevated the Indiana Hoosiers to the NCAA Football National Championship, have they ever won one?

To answer the question, No.

The Indiana Hoosiers have never won a College Football National Championship, and they never even reached the playoffs until 2024/25.

Indiana has already matched their all-time playoff and bowl win tally this season after winning three straight games in the College Football Playoffs en route to the national championship.

Prior to this season, Indiana had not won a single post season game since 1991 when they beat Baylor in the Copper Bowl. Indiana won that game 24-0.

Before 1991, the Hoosiers won two bowl games - the Liberty Bowl in 1988, and the Holiday Bowl in 1979.

The Hoosiers had an overall record of 3-10 in thirteen bowl games, but head coach Curt Cignetti and QB Fernando Mendoza have elevated to heights the program has barely dreamed of.

It's no question that 2025/26 is the greatest season in Indiana football history, and they can even win their first national championship if they defeat Miami (FL) on Monday, January 19, 2026.

2025/26 College Football Playoff Run

This season Indiana defeated Alabama in the Rose Bowl, and Oregon in the Peach Bowl (College Football Playoff Semifinals).

Indiana cruised through the Big Ten regular season, finishing with an undefeated record and as the No. 1 ranked team in the country. They continued to defeat Ohio State 13-10 to win the Big Ten Championship game.

The Hoosiers drew Alabama in the Rose Bowl - the second round of the playoff - and dominated them 38-3.

The favorite to become the first overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Fernando Mendoza, shredded the Crimson Tide defense. He was 14/16 passing for 192 yards and three touchdowns, but it was the running game that dominated the game. The Hoosiers rushed for 215 yards on 50 carries and found the endzone twice.

Indiana them faced off against Oregon in the Peach Bowl, and booked their ticket to the national championship game with a 56-22 win.

Mendoza was near perfect again, completing 17/20 passes for 177 yards and five touchdowns. The run game also had another great game, with four players rushing for 185 yards on 40 carries and two more touchdowns.

The Indiana Hoosiers will now play for their first ever College Football National Championship against the Miami Hurricanes on Monday, Monday, January 19th.

Much of the teams' success comes down to head coach Curt Cignetti, who signed with Indiana ahead of the 2024 season. Cignetti took over the Indiana job after spending five years at James Madison, and turned a team that went 9-27 from 2021-2023 into one that has won 26 of their 28 games with the new coach.