When you think of Indiana, what comes to mind? For most people, the first thing that comes to mind is the great sport of basketball. Indiana is known as the “basketball state” and has been for a very long time. The state is home to many historic players, such as Larry Bird and Isaiah Thomas, and is even home to the world’s largest high school basketball gym, which is located in the town of New Castle. Basketball has proven to be Indiana’s sport for a very long time. However, as of recently, the Hoosiers of Indiana University have sparked an interest in yet another sport. The Indiana University football team has made major strides in the college football realm over the past two seasons.
Historically, the football team at IU has not been very successful. The basketball team has always been the team known around Bloomington. Last year, however, this changed with the arrival of new head coach, Curt Cignetti. Cignetti made his way to Indiana from James Madison University (JMU) and brought thirteen of his players with him (Moriary, 2024). These former Dukes helped completely transform the football program at IU. Last season, IU went an outstanding 11-2, their only losses being handed to them by the National Title Contenders (Ohio State and Notre Dame). This exceptional year “marked the first time the Hoosiers won 10 games in program history,” according to USAToday’s John Leuzzi.
Indiana’s incredible season last year was no fluke. The Hoosiers have picked up right where they left off and are currently ranked second in the nation. IU started off the season as the 20th-ranked team but quickly moved up the rankings according to Michael Niziolek of the Hearld-Times. The Hoosiers are now among the three remaining undefeated teams, joined by Texas A&M and the top-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes. The team this year has been led by the outstanding transfer quarterback, junior Fernando Mendoza, out of California University.
Mendoza has been nothing short of spectacular. According to Alex Bozich from Inside the Hall, “Mendoza leads the country in passing touchdowns, ranks second nationally in quarterback rating and is fifth in completion percentage.” Due to his amazing performance thus far this season, Mendoza finds himself as the current favorite to win the prestigious Heisman Trophy award.
Along with Mendoza, the Hoosiers have been led by players such as wide receiver, Elijah Sarratt, running back, Roman Hemby, and linebacker, Aiden Fisher. These standout performers, in the company of many other Hoosiers, have yet to disappoint Hoosier Nation. In the majority of their contests, IU has completely destroyed its opponents. Some of these notable performances include a 56-6 victory over UCLA and a 63-10 win against a ranked Illinois team. Head coach, Curt Cignetti, attributes a portion of this success to the rowdy fan base in Memorial Stadium. According to TheDailyHoosier’s Mike Schumann, Cignetti stated, “We feed off of their energy. I really think that us playing at home is at least a 14-point advantage.”
Coach Cignetti’s proposition may, in fact, be correct, as the Hoosiers now hold the current longest run of consecutive home victories with fifteen straight wins at home. Knowing where the Indiana football program was just a few years ago makes this accomplishment even more remarkable. Coach Cignetti has completely transformed the name and atmosphere of Indiana University Football, and his job is not yet complete. With one more regular-season game left against rival Purdue University, Indiana is gearing up for a deep playoff run. Amazing things are happening around the IU football program. Make sure to catch a glimpse of these heroic Hoosiers in the upcoming college football playoff series.
From the sidelines to the headlines, this is Lauren, signing out.
