From the Most Losses in FBS History to One Win From Perfection: Indiana Faces Miami in the National Championship With a Chance to Go 16–0, Rewrite 130 Years of College Football History, and Complete One of the Greatest Turnarounds the Sport Has Ever Seen

In the annals of college football, few programs have endured the kind of sustained futility that defined the Indiana Hoosiers for more than a century. Entering the 2025 season, Indiana held the ignominious record for the most all-time losses in FBS history—715 defeats accumulated over 130 years of play. The Hoosiers had never won a Big Ten championship since joining the conference in 1899, had only sporadic winning seasons, and were often viewed as a perennial cellar-dweller in one of the sport’s most competitive leagues. The program symbolized mediocrity at best, irrelevance at worst.

Yet here we stand, on the eve of the College Football Playoff National Championship on January 19, 2026, where the No. 1-ranked Indiana Hoosiers (15-0) face the No. 10 Miami Hurricanes in Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Florida. One more victory would not only deliver Indiana its first national title but also cap a 16-0 season—the first undefeated championship run in the expanded 12-team playoff era—and etch the most improbable turnaround in the history of the sport.

The transformation began in late 2023 when Indiana hired Curt Cignetti away from James Madison. Cignetti inherited a team fresh off a 3-9 season and a program that had produced just three winning campaigns in the previous three decades. The Hoosiers’ all-time record stood at a dismal 534-715-44, and their winning percentage hovered below .430. Cignetti’s mandate was clear: rebuild from the ground up. He emphasized culture, discipline, and recruiting, quickly assembling a roster that blended high-upside transfers with emerging talent.

The breakthrough came swiftly—in 2024, Indiana went 11-2, reached the inaugural 12-team CFP, and set the stage for what followed.

The 2025 season unfolded like a dream scripted for Hollywood. The Hoosiers opened with dominant wins over Old Dominion (27-14), Kennesaw State (56-9), and Indiana State (73-0), establishing an offensive firepower that would become their calling card. Led by Heisman Trophy contender quarterback Fernando Mendoza, whose precision passing and poise under pressure elevated the unit, Indiana averaged over 42 points per game while surrendering just 11.1 points to opponents. The defense, anchored by a relentless front seven and opportunistic secondary, ranked among the nation’s elite.

The Big Ten schedule tested their mettle, but Indiana proved unbreakable. They swept through conference play with a perfect 9-0 mark, including statement victories over traditional powers. The crowning achievement came in the Big Ten Championship Game, where they dismantled Ohio State to claim the program’s first conference title since 1967. The playoffs brought more magic: a decisive quarterfinal win over Alabama and a 34-point demolition of Oregon in the semifinals. Each triumph chipped away at the narrative of Indiana’s historical struggles, replacing it with one of dominance.

What makes this run so extraordinary is the context. Indiana’s 715 losses entering 2025 were more than any other FBS program, a stat that highlighted decades of frustration. The Hoosiers had never been ranked No. 1 in the AP Poll, never reached the College Football Playoff before 2024, and had posted only one winning season in the 21st century prior to Cignetti’s arrival. This turnaround mirrors the greatest in college football history, surpassing even storied flips like TCU’s 2022 leap from 5-7 to 13-2 or Auburn’s 2013 surge from 3-9 to 12-2.

Indiana’s ascent is not just one year of success—it’s a two-season overhaul that has lifted the program from the basement to the summit.

Miami, the Hurricanes, present a formidable challenge in the title game. With a 13-2 record, Miami boasts speed, athleticism, and a defense that has stifled opponents throughout the season. The Hurricanes have their own narrative of resurgence, but they face a Hoosiers team that has yet to lose in 2025. The matchup pits Indiana’s balanced attack against Miami’s explosive playmakers, with Mendoza’s arm and the Hoosiers’ ground game facing a Hurricanes secondary known for forcing turnovers.

Beyond the field, the stakes are monumental. A win would give Indiana its first national championship in any era, rewriting the program’s legacy overnight. It would also mark the first 16-0 season in the modern playoff format, a feat that would stand as one of the most perfect campaigns in college football lore. For fans in Bloomington, this is more than a game—it’s redemption for generations of supporters who endured blowouts, close calls, and endless rebuilds.

The Hoosiers’ journey from the most losses to potential perfection symbolizes what college football can be: a sport where the improbable becomes reality through grit, coaching brilliance, and collective belief.

As kickoff approaches, the eyes of the nation will be on Indiana. One victory away from erasing 130 years of history, the Hoosiers stand on the brink of immortality. Whatever the outcome, this season has already delivered the greatest turnaround the sport has ever seen—a testament to the power of change and the enduring spirit of college football.