Indiana Caps Title Season vs Miami as Social Media Erupts
They didn’t believe – until they did. After being dubbed a “fluke” in 2024, and “overrated” in 2025, Indiana continued to win game after game. On the heels of a Big Ten championship, the Hoosiers were the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.
Three games later, and three victories later, Indiana is your college football national champion. 16-0. First-ever national title in program history. Curt Cignetti and his Hoosiers have accomplished the impossible.
In its first two CFP outings, Indiana hardly broke a sweat, knocking off Alabama 38-3, before smashing Oregon 56-22 in the Peach Bowl. Heading into the Miami clash, the expectation was the Hoosiers would be challenged for the first time this entire playoff – a sentiment that was proven true by the Hurricanes.
A defensive showcase in the first half, the lauded defenses went blow for blow, as the Hoosiers shut down Miami’s Carson Beck while the Hurricanes’ D mostly kept the Heisman Trophy winner – Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza – in check.
Still, Indiana managed to move the football enough to squeak out 10 points while Miami couldn’t find an inch of breathing room, and ultimately failed to put any points on the board.
But in the second half, the script was flipped. The ‘Canes offense came out firing on all cylinders, picking up 150 yards in the third quarter – which more than doubled their total first half output of 69 yards.
Nevertheless, in that third quarter, the clubs just exchanged touchdowns and Indiana carried its ten point lead into the final frame. But Miami found pay dirt two more times, and eventually had a shot down 27-21 with less than two minutes remaining.
Beck was in the process of marching his squad down the field, but then underthrew a shot into double coverage, which was picked off by Jamari Sharpe to put the game on ice and cement Indiana’s historical season.
Here are the best reactions to Indiana’s national title win from social media:
Social media reacts to Indiana knocking off Miami in the national championship

Flippin’ national champions
THE INDIANA HOOSIERS ARE FLIPPIN’ CHAMPS ‼️
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) January 20, 2026
The Hoosiers did it
UNDEFEATED INDIANA WINS IT’S FIRST EVER NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP 🏆
FROM OVERLOOKED TO UNDENIABLE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/pjRtsbX57c
— Bleacher Report CFB (@BR_CFB) January 20, 2026
The magical ride comes to a fairytale end
The most unbelievable sports story of my lifetime is complete. What a team. What a season.
Congrats to Indiana.
— Nick de la Torre (@delatorre) January 20, 2026
Oregon catching strays
Indiana wins a college football national championship before Oregon does
— Dave “Softy” Mahler (@Softykjr) January 20, 2026
Curt Cignetti is one of a kind
Before Curt Cignetti got there, the last time Indiana won more than 8 games in a season was 1967
For some perspective:
– Man had not been put on the moon yet
– The NFL/AFL merger hadn’t happened yet
– The NHL had 6 teams
– Gas was 32 cents a gallonWow https://t.co/75uCRO48cg
— JaguarGator9 (@JaguarGator9NFL) January 20, 2026
Don’t disrespect Indiana like that
Great game. Congrats to Indiana. Yet another Big 10 champion. And they did it the right way. Undefeated like Michigan did 2 years ago. What a job by Cignetti and crew. Very likeable team (for now). College football and the Big 10 go through Bloomington and Ann Arbor
— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) January 20, 2026
Dominance on the gridiron and hardwood
Indiana is now the most recent school to go undefeated in both football AND basketball 🤯 pic.twitter.com/3giTQZmsnx
— Bussin’ With The Boys (@BussinWTB) January 20, 2026
Big Ten> SEC (by a mile)
Last 3 College Football Champions
Indiana
Ohio State
MichiganSEC down bad ❌ pic.twitter.com/OCEjSqRJBp
— John Ewing (@johnewing) January 20, 2026
QB1 laid it all out there
“I’ll die for my team… I’mma die for my team out there.” 🙌
Fernando Mendoza left it all on the field in Indiana’s National Championship win. pic.twitter.com/nQ7yFwnVQ9
— TSN (@TSN_Sports) January 20, 2026
Who is playing Cignetti and Mendoza??
What an incredible story for the Indiana Hoosiers.
Worst team in college football to the number 1 team in the country.
Best coaching job we’ve ever seen.
This documentary is gonna be amazing in a few years.
— Taylor Lewan (@TaylorLewan77) January 20, 2026
What did Kevin Garnett say? “Anything is possibleeeee”
“We won the national championship at Indiana University, it can be done.”
Indiana Football head coach Curt Cignetti with @MollyAMcGrath after beating Miami 👏 pic.twitter.com/516Ccpe6RF
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 20, 2026
Nothing left to be said
Indiana AD Scott Dolson: “I’m speechless.” pic.twitter.com/hzvTvt1stR
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 20, 2026
The greatest turnaround the sport has ever seen
One month ago, Indiana’s most recent bowl win was the 1991 Copper Bowl, 5 days after the fall of the Soviet Union. They are the first 16-0 FBS team in the modern era.
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 20, 2026
Rock bottom was admittedly low
It’s impossible to overstate how far Indiana has come in an incredibly short time, but this jersey was worn in their home opener in 2021. pic.twitter.com/SPL7VHCXoa
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) January 20, 2026
Long awaited and well deserved
Indiana, this one’s for you. pic.twitter.com/PCLkNPBdpZ
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) January 20, 2026