The Indiana Hoosiers are the college football national champions for the first time ever. Top-seeded Indiana defeated No. 10 Miami (Fla.) in the 2025-26 College Football Playoff National Championship Game 27-21 to secure the win.<\/p>\n
THE INDIANA HOOSIERS ARE NATIONAL CHAMPS \ud83d\udd25<\/p>\n
ONE OF THE GREATEST TURNAROUND STORIES IN SPORTS HISTORY IS COMPLETE\u203c\ufe0f pic.twitter.com\/Z0LbYUPBmh<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 ESPN (@espn) January 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n “A lot of guts. That’s what it took to win a national title,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said.<\/p>\n It took a lot of guts for Cignetti to boldly believe he would turn around an Indiana program that finished 2-10, 4-8 and 3-9 into a national championship winner back when he took the job two years ago.<\/p>\n Now Cignetti’s name is etched in history after leading Indiana to a 16-0 season \u2014 joining 1894 Yale and 2019 North Dakota State as the other 16-0 Division I football champions. Moreover, Indiana is the first new team to win their first National Championship since the 1996 Florida Gators.<\/p>\n “We won the national championship at Indiana University, it can be done.”<\/p>\n Indiana Football head coach Curt Cignetti with @MollyAMcGrath<\/a> after beating Miami \ud83d\udc4f pic.twitter.com\/516Ccpe6RF<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Then there’s the story of the winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza won the national championship in his hometown, Miami, against Miami<\/a>, after not being recruited by the Hurricanes. It’s a redemption effort after losing to Miami last year while playing for Cal.<\/p>\n Mendoza earned Offensive MVP honors after completing 16 of 27 passes (59 percent) for 186 yards, rushing for a touchdown. The Hoosier signal caller had some all-time moments in the game in front of Indiana fans that overwhelmed Miami fans in their home stadium.<\/p>\n “I would die for my team,” Mendoza said.<\/p>\n What a year its been for Mendoza, leaving it all out on the field. He becomes the eighth Heisman winner to win a CFP or BCS national championship.<\/p>\n Oh, and he got Lil Uzi Vert to come out and support, too.<\/p>\n MR. HEISMAN IS A CFP NATIONAL CHAMP\ud83d\ude24#CFBPlayoff<\/a> #NationalChampionship<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/F4FVncOEg2<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 College Football Playoff (@CFBPlayoff) January 20, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n \tHeisman winners to win a national championship<\/p>\n \t\t\tYear \t\t\t2025 \t\t\t2020 \t\t\t2019 \t\t\t2015 \t\t\t2013 \t\t\t2010 \t\t\t2009 \t\t\t2004 Defensive lineman Mikail Kamara earned Defensive MVP honors thanks to his blocked punt. Indiana’s win gives the Big Ten its third straight CFP championship.<\/p>\n With it all said and done, Indiana has the most recent men’s football undefeated champion and the most recent men’s basketball undefeated champion (1975-76).<\/p>\n And what about YOUR brackets? Twelve finished perfect in our College Football Bracket Challenge Game<\/a>. That’s 12 more than have ever finished perfect in our Men’s March Madness Bracket Challenge. That is a unique number here, as it’s also the number of teams in the bracket, increasing the odds of your bracket finishing perfect. See our complete\u00a0perfect bracket tracker<\/a>\u00a0to see how it happened.<\/p>\n Click or tap here to view the final CFP bracket<\/a>.<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tHeisman Winner
\n\t\t\tNational Champion<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tQB Fernando Mendoza
\n\t\t\tIndiana<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tWR DeVonta Smith
\n\t\t\tAlabama<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tQB Joe Burrow
\n\t\t\tLSU<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tRB Derrick Henry
\n\t\t\tAlabama<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tQB Jameis Winston
\n\t\t\tFlorida State<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tQB Cam Newton
\n\t\t\tAuburn<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tRB Mark Ingram
\n\t\t\tAlabama<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\tQB Matt Leinart
\n\t\t\tSouthern California<\/p>\n