Indiana Football has reached the mountaintop.

At Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, the Hoosiers completed a season for the ages, defeating the Miami Hurricanes 27–21to claim the National Championship and become the first team in college football history to finish 16–0.

In this episode of Hoosier Football Tailgate Live, Coach Shannon “Coach Griff” Griffith breaks down the defining moments of the championship game, including the game-changing 4th-and-5 quarterback draw touchdown by Fernando Mendoza, the late defensive stand that sealed it, and the culture that powered Indiana’s perfect season.

We’ll take you inside:

• The moment the championship became real

• How Indiana controlled the game when it mattered most

• Coach Griff’s Film Room breakdown of why the Hoosiers won

• The heroes of the night on offense, defense, and special teams

• What a perfect 16–0 season means for Indiana Football forever

• What’s next for the Hoosiers in 2026 and beyond

This wasn’t handed to Indiana.

It was earned.

Earned. Not. Given.

👇 Join the conversation in the comments and let us know where this season ranks all-time in college football history.

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The stage is set at Hard Rock Stadium as #1 Indiana faces #12 Miami with a National Championship on the line.

In this Hoosier Tailgate National Championship Preview, Coach Griff breaks down the game the only way that matters — stats, film, and execution.

🔍 What’s covered in this episode:

• 📊 Offense vs Offense statistical breakdown

• 🛡️ Defense vs Defense comparison

• 🌪️ Top Miami Hurricanes players (offense & defense)

• 🎥 Film Room: Miami’s favorite offensive concepts

• 🧠 Film Room: Miami defensive fronts & blitz packages

• 🎯 Indiana game objectives (Offense, Defense, Special Teams)

• 🔑 Keys to Victory

Indiana enters the championship with elite efficiency, discipline, and defensive dominance. Miami brings speed, pressure, and playmakers. Sixty minutes will decide it all.

Indiana made a statement on the biggest stage.

The Hoosiers dismantled Oregon 56–22 in the Peach Bowl, turning a College Football Playoff semifinal into a showcase of dominance — and punching their ticket to the National Championship in Miami.

On the very first play of the game, D’Angelo Ponds set the tone with a pick-six, and Indiana never looked back.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza was near perfect, going 17-of-20 for 177 yards and five touchdown passes, leading an offense that controlled the tempo from start to finish.

In this episode of Hoosier Football Tailgate, Coach Griff breaks down:

• How Indiana seized control from the opening snap

• Why the pick-six changed everything

• Mendoza’s elite efficiency and red-zone dominance

• The defensive performance that overwhelmed Oregon

• The coaching preparation that showed up on the CFP stage

• What this win means nationally for Indiana Football

• And what carries forward as the Hoosiers head to Miami to face the Hurricanes for the National Championship

This wasn’t just a win — it was a program moment.

🎙️ Hoosier Football Tailgate

🏈 Peach Bowl Recap | College Football Playoff

📍 Road to Miami | National Championship