On Monday, January 19th President Donald Trump and family, Marco Rubio, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Senator Byron Donalds, Tom Brady, Jake Paul and many other very famous American legends were in attendance at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida to witness the first ever Indiana Hoosiers College Football championship win in history! Indiana defeated Miami in the College Football Playoffs Championship game 27 to 21. It was an epic game filled with suspense and the Hoosiers hung on to finish their incredible season with an undefeated 16 and 0 record + the College Football championship trophy.
Read More & check out scenes of the incredible Monday Night championship game below!
Courtesy: NCAA
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.
“A lot of guts. That’s what it took to win a national title,” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti said.
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.
Now Cignetti’s name is etched in history after leading Indiana to a 16-0 season — 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.
Then there’s the story of the winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza. Mendoza won the national championship in his hometown, Miami, against Miami, after not being recruited by the Hurricanes. It’s a redemption effort after losing to Miami last year while playing for Cal.
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.
“I would die for my team,” Mendoza said.
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.
Oh, and he got Lil Uzi Vert to come out and support, too.
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.
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).
And what about YOUR brackets? Twelve finished perfect in our College Football Bracket Challenge Game. 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 perfect bracket tracker to see how it happened.
Click or tap here to view the final CFP bracket.
New hardware. 🏆 pic.twitter.com/uKEteWlQLx
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) January 20, 2026
The 2025 Kings of College Football. pic.twitter.com/9hvxMEVMy8
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) January 20, 2026
🎉 No better feeling. pic.twitter.com/yL35YRrnmd
— Indiana Hoosiers (@IUHoosiers) January 20, 2026
Love this team. 🤍❤️ pic.twitter.com/ECqrN2NpAo
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) January 20, 2026
#NeverDaunted, we cannot falter
In the battle, we're tried & true
Indiana, Our Indiana
𝙄𝙣𝙙𝙞𝙖𝙣𝙖 𝙬𝙚'𝙧𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙮𝙤𝙪. pic.twitter.com/A51Xhow7UT— Indiana Hoosiers (@IUHoosiers) July 1, 2024
Catholic father of Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, Fernando Mendoza Sr., a pediatric emergency physician, remains seated throughout his son’s games as a quiet act of love and solidarity with his wife, Elsa, who has been living with multiple sclerosis since 2007 and… pic.twitter.com/hpdBleZcxW
— Sachin Jose (@Sachinettiyil) January 20, 2026
There average person has no idea how powerful Trump’s aura is until they get to see him in person like this.
The entire section was in awe last night. pic.twitter.com/t9Yx7NCu6t
— johnny maga (@_johnnymaga) January 20, 2026
Fans screaming “WE LOVE YOU PRESIDENT TRUMP!” at the game last night 🔥
Love this!!
Can you imagine having these seats?! pic.twitter.com/7IimB8R8QF
— TONY™ (@TONYxTWO) January 20, 2026
This is too funny 🤣🤣 this kid won’t stop yelling, “We love you, President Trump!” at last night’s game. pic.twitter.com/Y7jmvpOGou
— Gina Milan (@ginamilan_) January 20, 2026
🚨🚨BEAUTIFUL MOMENT🚨🚨
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) January 20, 2026
INDIANA QB FERNANDO MENDOZA AND HIS MOTHER WERE EMOTIONAL IN TEARS HUGGING AFTER HE WON THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP.
🥹🥹🥹
Mendoza’s mother is currently battling MS and for many years drove into every single practice game.
pic.twitter.com/fOwXaN9lJL
Fernando Mendoza’s dad never stands to celebrate because his mom is unable to stand.
— Anna Lulis (@annamlulis) January 20, 2026
She has multiple sclerosis, causing her to be in a wheelchair.
This is what matters. Not trophies—family. pic.twitter.com/vQa7K0Q8WA
‘GLORY TO GOD’: Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza celebrates a championship win, crediting campus priests for guiding his journey.
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 20, 2026
“The only reason I’ve gotten to this point is because there’s so many different people helping me in my journey, and [the Saint Paul priests]… pic.twitter.com/X8onafhF1D
