Has Indiana ever won a national championship in football? History of the Hoosiers' best seasons

For years, the Indiana Hoosiers were an afterthought in college football, known much more for their prowess in college basketball.

Then, the program hired Curt Cignetti at head coach in 2024, turbocharging a dormant team to the level of the sport's biggest powers. Cignetti helped produce one of the biggest turnarounds in college football history, taking a team that was considered an afterthought to a national championship.

As the team took down Miami 27-21 in the 2026 College Football Playoff championship, Indiana capped an all-time great season at 16-0, accomplishing feats no other Hoosiers squad ever had.

Before Cignetti and the NIL world helped get Indiana to the top of the college football world, the Hoosiers had their issues simply breaking through in the Big Ten. Here's a breakdown of Indiana's history in their quest to win a national championship.

MORE: How Fernando Mendoza's heroic touchdown run set up Indiana's national title

Indiana football championship history

Has Indiana ever won a national championship?

As of Jan. 19, 2026, the Indiana Hoosiers can be considered national champions.

Despite playing football since 1899, the Hoosiers had never won a national championship in the sport until they completed a perfect 16-0 season in 2025-26. In fact, Indiana has only won the Big Ten three times in its history, also most recently during the 2025 season.

Therefore, Indiana's resurgence under Curt Cignetti has been pretty remarkable considering Indiana's history. The Hoosiers only have two double-digit win seasons, both coming under Cignetti in 2024 and 2025, and the program only has four seasons with at least nine wins.

A 2026 national title can now be added to Indiana's history in one of the most remarkable turnarounds ever seen in college sports.

When was Indiana's last national championship?

With the Hoosiers completing a perfect season in 2025-26, their most recent national title was their first. On Jan. 19, 2026, they took down Miami, 27-21, to secure a championship.

Indiana hadn't ever particularly been close to winning a championship. Previously, the best finishes for Indiana were a loss in the 1967 Rose Bowl and a loss in the first round of the 2024 College Football Playoff.

The Hoosiers' 2025-26 title marked the first time since 1996 that the national champion was a first-time victor. That year, Florida won its first title under Steve Spurrier. 

When was Indiana's last College Football Playoff appearance?

The Hoosiers have made the College Football Playoff twice in their history, and they came in back-to-back seasons. First, Indiana made it's CFP debut in 2024 as an at-large team, then the Hoosiers returned to the Playoff in 2025 as the Big Ten champion and the top seed in the entire tournament before winning it all.

The 2024 Indiana team was Cignetti's first in Bloomington, and featured many players who were also on the 2025 team. Kurtis Rourke led the Hoosiers as the quarterback, producing over 3,000 passing yards, 29 touchdowns and just five interceptions before graduating at the end of the year.

Best seasons Indiana history

Here's a look at the best seasons in Indiana history by winning percentage.