The Indiana Hoosiers football program made history this season, as they entered the year with most losses (715) in the history of college football. However, a major turnaround was engineered, and they sit one win away from the ultimate destiny.
For over a century, Indiana football was an easy win for powerhouse Big Ten rivals, more often serving as a stepping-stone than a contender. In Bloomington, where basketball reigns supreme, the fans had grown accustomed to disappointment.
In a twist that defied the odds, the Hoosiers orchestrated one of the most remarkable turnarounds in the history of sports. Under the guidance of head coach Curt Cignetti, the Hoosiers shed their underdog label to emerge as a juggernaut.
The 2025 season saw them go 15-0, clinching the Big Ten title for the first time since 1967 and advancing to the national championship game against Miami on Monday.
As sportswriter Chris Vannini said on X, “Indiana football is 15-0 and will play Miami for the national championship. They entered this year as the losingest CFB program of all time. This is the most stunning turnaround in American sports history. The only thing close that comes to mind is Leicester City in the EPL.
“This rags-to-riches saga is a testament to the work of Cignetti, as well as a whole new crop of players coming to Bloomington via NIL deals and the transfer portal. Indiana’s journey might not be your true underdog story, but it will go down that way in the history books. As the Hoosiers are on the cusp of the title, their story reminds us that anything can be salvaged.
History of Indiana Hoosiers Football
Going into the 2025-26 season, Indiana football had an all-time record of 534-715-44, with those 715 losses marking the most in D-I history.
None of the program’s 23 previous coaches managed a winning conference record, and bowl appearances were rarities rather than expectations. The Hoosiers’ 1-72 record against AP top-5 teams underscored their role as perennial pushovers in a conference dominated by Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State.
This history of hardship wasn’t for lack of trying. Indiana invested in facilities and recruited talent, but the focus on basketball really attributed resources mainly there. As recently as 2023, the team scraped together just three victories, reinforcing the narrative that football in Bloomington was an afterthought.
Even Northwestern, another academic powerhouse with its own share of struggles, trailed closely with 712 losses entering 2025. But as Indiana surged forward, Northwestern’s 7-6 campaign in 2025 pushed them ahead in the all-time losses tally, a bittersweet handover for Hoosier fans.
As Don Fischer, the voice of Indiana football since 1973, said in a recent interview, “This is the greatest turnaround, and I hate that word because I don’t think it expresses really what these last two seasons have been like here in Indiana.”
Curt Cignetti Era Begins in Bloomington
The catalyst for Indiana’s resurgence arrived in the form of Cignetti, poached from James Madison University where he had built a winning culture.
Hired in late 2023 after a dismal 3-9 season under Tom Allen, Cignetti brought a no-nonsense approach and a proven track record of success at lower levels. Cignetti’s strategy leaned heavily on the transfer portal, with 68% of core performers coming from outside recruits.
In his debut 2024 season, the Hoosiers went 11-2, marking their first double-digit win campaign in decades and signaling the dawn of a new era.
Key additions like QB Kurtis Rourke and an improved defense turned potential into performance. When asked about the program’s downtrodden past, Cignetti said: “This team has never played here,” and that truly resonated with the boosters and fanbase.
This rebuilding phase wasn’t without skeptics. Critics pointed to Indiana’s “upward trajectory” in recent years, noting a 6-1 start in 2020, but Cignetti’s impact was undeniable. The program has been phenomenal in the transfer portal, which is how they landed this season’s Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza from Cal.
The Undefeated 2025 Season: From Underdogs to Champions
The 2025 season crystallized Indiana’s transformation into a powerhouse. Starting undefeated through the regular season at 12-0, the Hoosiers dominated the Big Ten, culminating in a decisive victory over Ohio State to claim their first conference title in 58 years.
Indiana started the College Football Playoff with a bye before going out West to face the most historic program in the sport, Alabama. The Hoosiers absolutely dismantled the Tide by the score of 38-3, and then laid another beatdown on Oregon by a 56-22 margin.
Now, facing Miami in the national championship, the Hoosiers aim to cap their fairy tale with a title. Win or lose, this season has redefined Indiana football, proving that from the depths of despair can rise the heights of glory. As Cignetti’s squad eyes history, their story is the blueprint for success across the country.
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