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The outcome of the College Football Playoff national championship game Monday marked a historic night for the sport, but no one expected it to be the Indiana Hoosiers who got it done.
The Hoosiers became the first ever college football team to go 16-0, as Curt Cignetti’s team defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 27-21, at Hard Rock Stadium. When Jamari Sharpe read Carson Beck’s deep pass with 44 seconds left and recovered it, that kneel on the ground cemented one of the great stories in college sports.
But despite how good this season has been for the Hoosiers, some wonder if it will be sustainable. Can Indiana continue its dominance like it did in 2025, securing the No. 1 overall CFP rankings and winning a national title?
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Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza (15) reacts with the trophy after the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium on January 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
One of his players has no doubts.
“I was just talking to one of the guys, and I just said, ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if Indiana comes back next year,'” Hoosiers cornerback D’Angelo Ponds told PK Press Club Digital before his celebratory “change” alongside Sharpe and wide receiver Elijah Sarrat at Raising Cane’s in Bloomington on Thursday.
Ponds told reporters his intention is to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, ending his college career on the best possible note as a national champion, but the main reason behind his thoughts on a potential college dynasty rests on his confidence in his head coach.
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Ponds was with Cignetti during his freshman year at James Madison University, and when “Coach Cig” joined the Hoosiers’ program, the 5-foot-9, 173-pound cornerback went to Bloomington with him.
Cignetti went viral during his introductory press conference at Indiana for his response after a reporter said what his pitch would be for recruiting players to a program that had gone a combined 9-27 in its final three seasons before his arrival.
Cignetti, who is coming off a 19-4 career at JMU, including an 11-1 campaign in 2023, was blunt in his response.
“It’s pretty simple. I win. Google me,” he said.
Elijah Sarratt, Jamari Sharpe and D’Angelo Ponds are considered national college football champions D’Angelo Ponds, Elijah Sarratt and Jamari Sharpe work at the ‘Change’ celebration at Raising Cane’s on January 22, 2026, in Bloomington, Illinois. (Jeff Schear/Getty Images)
The proof is now material.
“I felt like no one expected us to do this, especially us coming from JMU,” Ponds added. “But I trusted Coach Cig and his process, and I knew we were going to be successful. Him just believing in himself and the guys he brought with him, we brought the standard to Indiana and made history.”
Sharpe was already at Indiana when Cignetti took over, and he quickly learned what his new coach was like. After a 3-9 season in 2023, Cignetti led the Hoosiers to the CFP with an 11-2 record, followed by a perfect season this year.
“This year has taught me a lot: brotherhood,” he said. “It’s been a long year and I had to stick together with my teammates to go 16-0 and win the national championship. It was a good season for us and I’m just happy we were able to do it.”
Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti hoists the George P. Crumbley Trophy after defeating the Oregon Ducks in the 2025 College Football Playoff semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 9, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
So why can Indiana do it again in 2026 and beyond?
“Just because of Coach Cig and his process, he’s a process guy. He doesn’t dwell on the past. He’s going to get back to work right away and I wouldn’t be surprised if we get back there,” Ponds responded.
