In just two short years, the Indiana Hoosiers transformed from being one of the laughing stocks in college football to reaching the top.
The Indiana Hoosiers have one of the poorest all-time records in college football history, standing at 509-692-38. Before Curt Cignetti took over as head coach in 2024, the program had experienced 26 losing seasons and only three winning seasons since 1995. However, things began to change when Cignetti left James Madison to lead the team in Bloomington.
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In his first season, he posted an impressive 11-2 record, marking the first time in the program’s history that they reached double-digit wins. The team also made its debut in the College Football Playoff, although it lost in the first round. He followed this success with a flawless 16-0 season, leading to the school’s first national championship in 2026.
Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti prepares to lift the trophy on the podium after the College Football Playoff National Championship college football win over Miami.© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
(© Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)
David Pollack posed a key question to ESPN’s Rece Davis on the “See Ball Get Ball with David Pollack” podcast: Is this kind of success sustainable? Davis expressed doubt that the Hoosiers can maintain this level of performance.
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“I mean, they’re going to have to fall off a little bit because they were darn near perfect this year, but I think they’re here,” Davis said. “Yeah, they are here to stay. Now, at that level, probably not.”
Davis emphasized that a crucial factor will be whether the Hoosiers can consistently secure strong quarterback performances. In 2024, Indiana acquired Kurtis Rourke from the transfer portal. He recorded 3,042 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 5 interceptions.
Following that, they brought in Fernando Mendoza through the transfer portal. Mendoza threw for 3,535 yards, 41 touchdowns, and 6 interceptions. He also won the school’s first Heisman Trophy and is projected to be the No. 1 overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
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This offseason, Cignetti added former TCU Horned Frogs quarterback Josh Hoover to the team. Over the last three seasons, Hoover has started every game, accumulating 9,627 passing yards, 71 touchdowns and 33 interceptions. If he can achieve similar success as his two predecessors, Indiana may demonstrate that their recent achievements are not a fluke and that they are a team to be taken seriously in the long term.
Related: Indiana’s Curt Cignetti Addresses Future Plans After National Championship Win
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Mar 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
