Is Indiana’s National Championship run good for the future of college football?

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The No. 1 Indiana Hoosiers will be taking on the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes in the CFP National Championship. The Hoosiers’ rise to national prominence was highly improbable when looking at the history of the program, but head coach Curt Cignetti had other plans when he took the job.

Indiana reached the College Football Playoff in Cignetti’s first season, losing 27-17 to Notre Dame in the quarterfinals. Many thought that Indiana was a fluke, but forward momentum ensued to the highest of degrees in Year No. 2. Indiana added talented veterans via the portal and turned into a college football juggernaut. From Heisman quarterback Fernando Mendoza to center Pat Coogan to running back Roman Hemby, Indiana’s key contributors are transfer players.

Indiana is using the same model of transfer portal infusion in 2026. Mendoza will be headed to the NFL Draft, and he will be replaced by TCU transfer quarterback Josh Hoover. Hoover will be throwing to Michigan State transfer Nick Marsh. Cignetti’s model is to find portal players with a lot of experience who they believe can make an immediate impact in their offensive and defensive schemes.

In this edition of SB Nation Reacts, we want to know if you think Indiana’s success is good for college football. Vote below.

While no one should be surprised at the run Indiana is on at this point, especially after blowouts against Alabama and Oregon, it’s still going to take some time to comprehend that Indiana, which was the most losing program of all time heading into the season, is now one game away from winning a national championship.

Indiana’s success is only possible because of NIL, but it’s not just that simple. Cignetti has put together a winning culture, assembled a good staff, and has his players executing at a high clip. Seeing Indiana in the national championship beats the alternative of what the college football landscape looked like pre-NIL,/transfer portal, when it was Alabama, Georgia, and Clemson appearing in the national championship seemingly every year.

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