Imagine telling anyone before 2024 that the Indiana Hoosiers would one day go 16‑0 and win the College Football Playoff national championship. Most people would have laughed, maybe even suggested you check into a mental institute. That’s exactly what happened on Monday night, when the Hoosiers capped off an unprecedented undefeated season with a 27‑21 victory over the Miami Hurricanes.
Led by Heisman Trophy‑winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza and head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana completed one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history.
Cignetti, in just his second season with the program, took a team that had finished 3‑9 just two years ago and guided them to a perfect 16‑0 record.
In this new era of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) and expanded playoffs, many doubted a “little” program like Indiana could ever raise the trophy. Critics have said NIL is ruining the sport, but what we’ve seen this season is the opposite: parity. Indiana had no five‑star recruits and few high‑profile signees; instead, they leaned heavily on the transfer portal, smart recruiting, player development, and targeted NIL opportunities to build depth and chemistry.
The Hoosiers didn’t outspend the traditional blue bloods, in fact, their NIL spending was reportedly well below many Power Five programs, but they spent wisely and built a cohesive team rather than simply chasing the most expensive names. Without NIL, it’s hard to imagine Indiana pulling off this kind of roster transformation in such a short time, and that fact alone challenges the narrative that NIL is an unmitigated disaster for college football.
Sorry to the Alabama, Georgia, Ohio State fan bases and other perennial powerhouses, your programs were dominant long before NIL made headlines. The reality is that many of the big brands were already operating in ways similar to today’s NIL landscape; it’s just that now it’s transparent and regulated. That transparency has opened the door for programs like Indiana to compete at the highest level.
That said, college football still faces real growing pains in this new era. The transfer portal’s timing and rules could use clearer structure, limits on transfers might help stabilize rosters, and playoff selection criteria should be refined (for example, major debate continues about teams like JMU and Tulane making the playoff).
But if there’s one thing Indiana’s season proves, it’s this: NIL isn’t the problem holding college football back, it’s part of the solution. With the Hoosiers’ historic run now complete, every fanbase in America has reason to believe their program could be next.
It takes a committed university, a brilliant head coach, players who want to be coached and to win, and supporters and donors willing to invest in a vision. In this new era, the online critics will always find something to complain about, but Indiana’s success shows the possibility of true competitive balance — and that’s good for college football.
The Oracle writes exclusively for the SD Examiner. Read his column for his latest takes and predictions in the sports world.
