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Indiana stars reveal why Hoosiers can repeat as national champions under Curt Cignetti
By Scott Thompson
Published January 23, 2026
The result of the College Football Playoff national championship game on Monday marked a historic night for the sport, but no one expected it to be the Indiana Hoosiers making it happen.
The Hoosiers became the first-ever 16-0 college football team, as Curt Cignetti's squad defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 27-21, at Hard Rock Stadium. When Jamari Sharpe read Carson Beck's deep pass with 44 seconds left on the clock and picked it off, that kneel down to the ground cemented one of the great stories in college sports.
But despite how great this season has been for the Hoosiers, some question whether this is sustainable. Can Indiana continue its dominance like it did in 2025, securing the No. 1 overall seed in the CFP 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 Jan. 19, 2026 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
One of its players has no doubt.
"I was just talking to one of the guys, and I was just saying, ‘I wouldn’t be surprised if Indiana makes it back next year,'" Hoosiers cornerback D'Angelo Ponds told Fox News Digital before his celebratory "shift" alongside Sharpe and receiver Elijah Sarrat at Raising Cane's in Bloomington on Thursday.
Ponds told reporters his plan is to enter the 2026 NFL Draft, ending his college career on the highest note possible as a national champion, but the main reason behind his thought about a potential college dynasty falls on his belief in his head coach.
Ponds was with Cignetti during his freshman year at James Madison University, and when "Coach Cig" made the move to 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 answer after a reporter said what his pitch would be to recruit players to a program that had gone a combined 9-27 over its last three seasons before his arrival.
Cignetti, coming off a 19-4 career at JMU, including an 11-1 campaign in 2023, was blunt with his response.
"It's pretty simple. I win. Google me," he said.
Elijah Sarratt, Jamari Sharpe and D'Angelo Ponds are seen as college football national champions at Raising Cane's on Jan. 22, 2026, in Bloomington, Illinois. (Jeff Schear/Getty Images)
The proof is in the hardware now.
"I felt like nobody expected us to do this, especially us coming from JMU," Ponds added. "But I trusted in Coach Cig and his process, and knew that 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 learned quickly what his new coach was all about. 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 was a long year, and sticking together with my teammates to be able to go 16-0 and be able to win the national championship. It was a good season for us, and I’m just glad we were able to get it done."
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 Jan. 9, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)
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So why can Indiana do it again in 2026 and beyond?
"Just from Coach Cig and his process — he’s a process-oriented guy. He doesn’t dwell on the past. He’s going to get right back to work and I wouldn’t be surprised we go back to back," Ponds responded.
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