If you think Indiana University in Bloomington is having one of the most exciting football seasons in recent memory you are not alone. The Hoosiers have rewritten the record book and suddenly are part of a conversation most fans never expected.
It helps to look at what’s happening on the field and then how the coaching path of their head coach connects back to one of college football’s most influential figures.
A Season for the History Books
Indiana’s 2025 football season has been nothing short of remarkable. The Hoosiers went undefeated in the regular season and secured a Big Ten championship... the first solo title since 1945... before roaring into the College Football Playoff. In the Peach Bowl semifinal they delivered a dominant 56-22 win over Oregon and now stand ready to compete for a national championship. This turnaround is historic for a program that once struggled to reach double-digit wins.
Behind that success is a team that blends strong defense, explosive offense and a coach who has rallied his players around a shared identity and confidence. Their quarterback... Fernando Mendoza... also had a breakout season, earning Heisman recognition and helping lead one of the best seasons in Hoosiers history.
Curt Cignetti’s Road to Bloomington
Indiana’s head coach, Curt Cignetti, has become a national story. Since taking over in late 2023, Cignetti has helped the Hoosiers transform from a struggling program into one of the best in the country. His teams are disciplined efficient and battle tested... something that was not there before his arrival.
Before coming to Indiana Cignetti spent time on the coaching staff at several programs, including a key period at Alabama under legendary coach Nick Saban. Early in his career he was a wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator at Alabama where he helped bring in top talent and was part of championship caliber teams. That experience helped shape his approach to building culture and evaluating players.
Saban’s Coaching Tree and Modern College Football
The influence of Nick Saban now stretches across college football more than ever. Several coaches in the College Football Playoff and title picture today have roots connected to Saban’s coaching tree, including Cignetti. Even though their paths diverge in style and personality Saban’s impact shows up in how these teams prepare players, recruit and build depth.
Saban himself has publicly praised Cignetti’s work at Indiana, noting his success and fundamentals that trace back to lessons learned while working under former Alabama staffs. That connection does not mean Indiana is just Alabama 2.0. It does mean that some of the discipline and evaluation techniques that helped build national champions are now part of the Hoosier blueprint.
What This Means in the Bigger Picture
It is easy to get caught up in stats and wins. But what makes Indiana’s run meaningful is how rare it is. A program with limited historic success in football has climbed to the very top thanks to... innovative coaching, smart use of the transfer portal, player development and a culture that believes it belongs with the best
Now, with the spotlight on Bloomington and a national title game looming, the Hoosiers are showing the rest of the college football world what a bold vision and consistent execution look like.
Indiana’s football story this season is about more than one great year. It is about transformation and belief. And while Nick Saban’s influence shows up in the coaching roots of Curt Cignetti, what is happening now is very much an Indiana story. A story full of skill grit and a little piece of the legacy that comes from learning along the way.
