3 Key Reasons Indiana Is Here to Stay After Winning the National Championship

Indiana just won the national championship. The final page in an unbelievably memorable chapter, the Hoosiers’ victory over Miami on Monday night was hard-fought and the national title belongs in no other place than Bloomington.

The 2025 Kings of College Football. pic.twitter.com/9hvxMEVMy8
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) January 20, 2026

But while Indiana fans are cherishing it, it’s already time for Curt Cignetti and Co. to get back to business. Winning the national title isn’t done in January – it’s done in the spring, in the summer, in the fall, and even in the winter before.

Fortunately, the Hoosiers haven’t missed a beat. And, subsequently, one thing has become crystal clear: this isn’t the peak for Indiana football. It’s just the beginning. Here’s why:

Why Indiana's national championship win over Miami is just the start of a new era

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti holds up the trophy as the team celebrates winning the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Transfer portal success

As of Monday night, the Hoosiers’ transfer class is rated the seventh-best in the country, per 247 Sports. And, mind you, that haul has been assembled in the midst of a national-title run. Indiana has added pieces on the edge and in the secondary while also landing Fernando Mendoza’s successor: TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover.

Maybe it’s the winning. Maybe it’s the NIL money (thank you, Mark Cuban). Perhaps it’s just Cignetti’s undeniable charm. More likely, it’s a combination of all the above.

Whatever it is, Indiana is building its most “talented” – at least as far as the recruiting services are concerned – roster yet, which is a scary sight for the Big Ten and the entire country.

Offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines

The No. 1 reason for every premier program’s demise? The loss of a coordinator – and usually both. Oregon, which just got blasted by Indiana in the semifinal, just got both of its coordinators poached. Just imagine the number of calls Mike Shanahan and Bryant Haines have – or, more accurately, had – been fielding.

But after they each signed extensions and affirmed their commitment to the Hoosiers, it’s safe to say they aren’t going anywhere – and, in turn, nor is Indiana.

Having a consistent system and voice on both sides of the football is a game-changer for building sustained success. And the Hoosiers won’t just have that on one end, they’ll have it on both.

Curt Cignetti

It cannot be overstated: the turnaround engineered by Cignetti is like nothing any sport has seen in quite a long time. He’s an absolute mastermind in terms of Xs and Os.

But being the head coach of a program involves a lot of other movie pieces. It’s not just the schemes and designs, it’s recruiting, it’s inspiring, it’s instilling confidence. Program-building is not an easy task – and it’s far different than the role of a play-caller.

Yet Cignetti, seemingly, has no weaknesses. It’s exceedingly difficult to be exceptional in each of those areas, but he is. The recruiting – surely aided by recent winning and the now-open check books of Indiana alum – has been elevated to a new level.

There appears to not be a better motivator in the sport. Cignetti has been able to find, and, even more impressively, keep, two of the best coordinators in the sport. With Cignetti running the show, the possibilities are endless. It’s not the dusk of a fairytale run in Bloomington, it’s simply the dawn of a new era.

It may be a tough pill for the majority of college football fans to swallow, but Indiana is now sitting atop the mountain and is the clear Goliath of this sport.