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THURSDAY, JAN. 15, 2026 | IDSNEWS.COM

INDIANA DAILY STUDENT COMMEMORATIVE PEACH BOWL EDITION

NATTY BOUND

Senior linebacker Aiden Fisher yells into a microphone following the College Football Playoff semifinal game Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Fisher had nine tackles in the game.

BRIANA PACE | IDS

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti holds up the Big Ten Championship trophy after the game Dec. 6, 2025, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Cignetti began coaching for the Hoosiers last season.

LAUREN MCKINNEY | IDS

Redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza receives the snap during the CFP quarterfinal game against Alabama on Jan. 1, 2026, at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. Mendoza had three passing touchdowns in the game.

JIMMY RUSH | IDS

Indiana football players run onto the field before the College Football Playoff semifinals Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Indiana defeated Oregon 56-22.

Indiana football books ticket to 1st National Championship Game The Hoosiers scored 56 points against the Ducks

TLANTA –– Waves of Cream and Crimson shuffled into Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta on Jan. 9 for No. 1 Indiana football’s College Football Playoff semifinal matchup against No. 5 Oregon. The Hoosier faithful made their presence known throughout the stadium prior to kickoff, erupting in “Hoo-Hoo-HooHoosiers” chants before and after the National Anthem. With a home crowd feel in Atlanta, the Hoosiers dominated Oregon 56-22 on Jan. 9, clinching IU’s first National Championship Game berth in program history. Indiana carried the crowd’s momentum into the first play from line of scrim-

mage. Junior defensive back D’Angelo Ponds jumped in front of an out-route and intercepted Oregon redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore. Ponds ran the ball back 25 yards for a touchdown to the beat of the crowd rocking the stadium with noise. Moore settled in on Oregon’s ensuing possession, leading the Ducks on a 14play, 75-yard drive, capped off by a 19-yard touchdown pass to redshirt sophomore tight end Jamari Johnson. But it was all Indiana for the remainder of the first half. Redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza took the field for the first time following the Ducks’ touch-

down with just over seven minutes left in the first quarter. He completed a 23-yard pass to senior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, setting the Hoosiers up in Oregon territory. Following the completion, Indiana broke down the Oregon defense through the run game. Redshirt senior running back Roman Hemby ripped off 12-yard and 11-yard rushes, before Mendoza found redshirt junior wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. for an 8-yard touchdown. Two Oregon possessions later, Moore turned the ball over a second time. As he brought the ball back to pass, it clipped the arm of freshman running back Dierre

Hill Jr., causing a fumble. Indiana sophomore defensive lineman Mario Landino fell on the ball, setting the Hoosiers up at the Oregon 3-yard line. Indiana redshirt senior running back Kaelon Black punched the ball in from 1 yard out to grant the Hoosiers a 21-7 advantage. The Hoosiers kept their foot on the gas pedal on their ensuing possession. Mendoza found sophomore wide receiver Charlie Becker in the endzone for a leaping 36yard touchdown. Meanwhile, the Indiana defense continued its dominance. Sophomore defensive lineman Daniel Ndukwe picked up a strip sack on

Moore. Mendoza capitalized off Oregon’s second fumble of the night, as the quarterback hit Sarratt for a 2-yard touchdown. Indiana took a commanding 35-7 lead into the halftime locker room. Coming out of halftime, the Indiana offense continued humming. Mendoza connected with sixth-year redshirt senior wide receiver E.J. Williams Jr. for the Hoosiers’ sixth touchdown of the night. The Ducks followed up the Indiana touchdown with their second touchdown of the night –– a 2-yard rushing score from redshirt junior running back Jay Harris in the third quarter.

However, Sarratt tacked on a 3-yard receiving touchdown, and Black added a 23yard rushing score to bring the Hoosiers’ advantage to 56-15. Moore added a 1-yard passing touchdown to bring the final score to 56-22. Mendoza finished the semifinal game 17 of 20 for 177 yards and five touchdowns. Indiana will now face the No. 10 University of Miami with a national championship title on the line at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19 inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. — Conor Banks, IDS football reporter

Indiana Daily Student

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Jan. 15, 2026 idsnews.com

Editors Nathan Shriberg, Savannah Slone, Kasey Watkins sports@idsnews.com

Indiana flips script on football in CFP run By Conor Banks conbanks@iu.edu

ATLANTA — Indiana has historically been known as “the basketball state.” The “Hoosier hysteria” surrounding basketball in the state overshadowed football. At least until head coach Curt Cignetti took over the program. Before Cignetti arrived in Bloomington, the Hoosiers had appeared in just two bowl games since 2017 and held the most all-time losses in Division I college football. Cignetti grew up a fan of former Indiana basketball head coach Bob Knight, who helped transform the Hoosiers into a national powerhouse. Cignetti cited the former basketball coach’s intensity and “tell it how it is” coaching style as reasons why. In his two seasons at the helm of Indiana football, Cignetti has translated these characteristics to the gridiron. With Cignetti, the Hoosiers have just two losses — both of which came in 2024 — and earned back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances. In 2025, the Hoosiers carried an undefeated record and the No. 1 seed into the CFP. Before Indiana’s CFP semifinal matchup against Oregon on Friday, ESPN’s Pat McAfee called Cignetti the Bob Knight of Indiana football.

While it took Knight five seasons to raise his first NCAA National Championship banner in Assembly Hall, Cignetti is on the brink of bringing the Hoosiers’ first college football national championship to Bloomington in his second year. The Hoosiers dismantled Oregon 56-22 in the Jan. 9 CFP semifinal at MercedesBenz Stadium in Atlanta. The 75,604 people watching Indiana on Jan. 9 was a far cry from the many empty seats at Memorial Stadium in 2023. Over 500 miles separate Bloomington from Atlanta. But that did not stop Hoosier fans from nearly filling Mercedes-Benz Stadium with cream and crimson. This newfound belief in the Hoosiers’ football program is “heartwarming,” redshirt junior offensive lineman Drew Evans said postgame. The filled seats in Mercedes-Benz Stadium emulated the energy of an Indiana home game at Memorial Stadium. “Hoo-HooHoo-Hoosiers” chants took over the stadium as the two teams awaited the opening kickoff. “It basically felt like a home game of how loud it was — just Hoosier fans, you know,” junior defensive back Amare Ferrell said postgame. “I mean they proud of us and we proud of them. We gonna keep doing this for them — for the alumni,

for the university.” The home-like crowd energized the Hoosiers to a will-breaking effort on the ground. The Hoosier backs combined for 158 rushing yards and two touchdowns — both from redshirt senior running back Kaelon Black — across 33 attempts. “Being able to go out there and play in front of those fans, and leave it all on the line for those fans — it’s awesome,” redshirt senior running back Roman Hemby said postgame. “To see those guys have that belief in us, it makes us go that much harder just because we’re not playing for just ourselves, we’re playing for the whole state of Indiana.” In Indiana’s first matchup against Oregon on Oct. 11 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon, the Hoosiers were forced to play with a silent count due to crowd noise. This made processes, such as audibling and checking at the line of scrimmage, more difficult. But with an Indiana-heavy crowd in the rematch, Oregon was forced to a silent count. “And I think that not having to be able — not having to go on silent count because of Hoosier Nation being here and making them go on silent count is a huge aspect of the game and offensive operation that’s not talked about enough,” redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza said postgame. While Mendoza shined

COLUMN: Indiana’s story is incredible, but it’s no Cinderella By Quinn Richards

qmrichar@iu.edu | @quinn_richa

On paper, it’s the most Cinderella story ever told. Indiana’s meteoric rise from college football’s floor to its summit is straight out of a fairy tale. The advent of name, image and likeness, conference expansion and the transfer portal were supposed to eliminate the little guy. Yet, the basketball school in Bloomington used the changing landscape as stepping stones for the unimaginable. The once-losingest program in the history of the sport is playing in the College Football Playoff National Championship. As red and white confetti fluttered to a green canvas for the second time in 10 days, the Hoosiers celebrated their 56-22 decimation of Oregon in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9. For a program that hadn’t won a bowl game in 34 years, two such wins in two weeks seemed Cinderella enough. But after the game redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza offered a contrasting sentiment. “Although social media before the year was like, ‘Oh, Cinderella story,’ we all had the internal belief in the facility, behind closed doors,” he said. “I believe that’s what helped us propel us to this moment.” Put simply, Cinderella tells the story of a life of poverty that suddenly becomes one of remarkable fortune. The poverty part could easily apply to Indiana’s past; there’s over 700 losses to back that up. But it wasn’t fortune that dragged the Hoosiers out of the rubble. It was head coach Curt Cignetti. Sophomore receiver Charlie Becker recalled him taking over the helm with a simple message: “Hey, we’re going to win.” It’s easier said than done, but that’s all that’s happened since. It was a fun story when Indiana went 11-2 in Cignetti’s first season, some just chalked it up to a fluke. The Hoosiers’ win over Ohio State in the Big Ten Championship on Dec. 6 proved that David could beat Goliath. But just over a month later, a different realization has dawned on the college football world — David has become Goliath. Factoring in its 38-3 win over the University of Alabama in the Rose Bowl, Indiana has outscored its last two opponents by a 69-point margin. That’s the widest margin of victory in a two-

BRIANA PACE | IDS

Redshirt senior running back Kaelon Black celebrates a touchdown during the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Black had 63 yards in the game.

Friday, completing 17 of 20 pass attempts for 177 yards and five touchdowns, Oregon quarterback Dante Moore struggled. The redshirt sophomore dropped back to pass on the game’s first play from the line of scrimmage. But Indiana junior defensive back D’Angelo Ponds jumped the targeted out-route, securing the interception and taking it back to the end zone. Ponds’ first-play pick-six sent the crowd into a frenzy. “Yeah, thought we could go verbal, speaking ca-

jamesdm@iu.edu | @DaltonMJames

JIMMY RUSH | IDS

game CFP stretch since the format’s introduction in 2014. The Hoosiers aren’t just winning, they’re making playoff teams look like nonconference tune ups. Indiana is unbeaten, sure, but at this point, I’m convinced this team is unbeatable. Mendoza is the best player in college football. If you disagree, I urge you to open your eyes. In the CFP, he’s completed 31 of his 36 passes for eight touchdowns and remained turnover-free. Mendoza was so pinpoint accurate against the Ducks that I questioned why I ever attempted to even hold a football, much less throw one. The Hoosiers are the best-coached team in college football. They won’t hurt themselves with selfimposed mistakes, and to make matters worse, consistently force opponents into mist. Cignetti leads the most disciplined team in the nation. Defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ scheme haunts opposing quarterbacks in their sleep and may also have telekinetic powers — just ask Oregon’s redshirt sophomore quarterback Dante Moore, who was strip sacked by his own running back. Yes, senior linebacker Aiden Fisher is going to tackle you in the backfield for a 3-yard loss and wag his finger. Yes, Becker is going to jump over you for a 30-yard highlight-reel touchdown catch. And yes, junior cornerback D’Angelo Ponds will send the stadium into a deafening uproar once a game with a momentum swinging turnover. Oh, what’s that? He’ll also line up as a receiver and play on both sides of the ball too. How wonderful. Somehow, someway, Indiana is playing its best football 15 games into a grueling season. It doesn’t quite make sense, and yet, despite injuries and the wear and tear that comes with facing

elite competition, it’s the Hoosiers’ reality. Everything I’ve mentioned is challenging enough to compete against, but Indiana fans have made it a habit to turn neutral site games into home ones. That was obvious among the 75,604-person crowd inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium, primarily wearing Crimson. “Hoosier Nation is the best fanbase in the entirety of college football,” redshirt junior left tackle Carter Smith said. “They have traveled so well for us and they’ve been dying to see something like this.” But beyond all else, the biggest piece of Indiana’s success — belief. Don’t take it from me, Mendoza expressed it, Becker said it too and even Cignetti admitted it’s the root cause of the program’s turnaround. “The bottom line really in this business is you gotta get everybody to think alike,” Cignetti said. “And if you can get everybody thinking alike, focused on the same thing, you can accomplish anything.” The Hoosiers have now accomplished almost everything. All that’s left is a showdown with the University of Miami on the game’s biggest stage. It’s almost unbelievable. Smith said the realization that his next game will be the national championship might set in on the bus ride back to the airport; sophomore defensive lineman Daniel Ndukwe said it might come when he wakes up in the morning. Regardless, it’s true. On Jan. 19, Indiana will play the biggest game in the program’s 127-year history. On paper, it’s the most Cinderella story ever told, but sometimes paper doesn’t do it justice. “I don’t know that we’d call it Cinderella,” Smith said. “I’d start calling us the belle of the ball.” Who would’ve thought it? Indiana football, “the belle of the ball.”

setting the stage for a possible Hurricanes-dominated crowd. However, the Jan. 9 attendance showcased the commitment and belief that the Hoosier faithful now have in Indiana football. “They went to California, they came down to Atlanta — they’re gonna be there next week in Miami, I know it,” redshirt junior offensive lineman Carter Smith said postgame. “It’s not gonna be a home game for them. It may be close, but it’s not gonna be a home game.”

‘Really happy we have Curt Cignetti’: How Indiana football throttled Oregon By Dalton James

Indiana football players celebrate following an interception during the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Indiana had one interception in the game.

dence. But it was pretty loud,” Moore said postgame. “At the end of the day, it’s a dome — gets pretty loud. But we prepared for loud situations and changed up the cadence. But yeah, they came out and showed out.” Indiana now faces one final test against the University of Miami in the National Championship Game at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 19. The Hoosiers could face a different atmosphere in the crowd, with the game set to be played at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida,

ATLANTA — Curt Cignetti stood on the stage awaiting his turn. As Fernando Mendoza and D’Angelo Ponds were presented the offensive and defensive MVP awards, the second-year Indiana football head coach stood behind the George P. Crumbley trophy. He cracked a smirk, a rare sight on game days, as the Hoosiers continued their storybook season. On Jan. 9 inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Cignetti’s team delivered another one of its patented beatdowns. This time, No. 1 Indiana walloped No. 5 Oregon 56-22 in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl to advance to the program’s first national championship. And when Cignetti lifted the trophy, he smiled ever so slightly. “It’s a great win against a really good football team,” Cignetti said postgame. “Really proud of our players, our staff.” Although Cignetti earns much of the fame for his unforgettable sideline scowls, no matter what’s transpiring on the field, his staff and the discipline they’ve developed are vital to the Hoosiers’ success. Whether it’s offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, defensive coordinator Bryant Haines or any position coach, Cignetti’s assistants are all aligned. Shanahan and Haines both began under Cignetti at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and have spent over a decade with him. “The bottom line really in this business is you got to get everybody to think alike,” Cignetti said postgame. “And if you can get everybody thinking alike, focused on the same thing, you can accomplish anything.” Two days before the Hoosiers faced the Ducks, senior linebacker Aiden Fisher described the Cream and Crimson as “robots.” Indiana has built a rigorous routine throughout the first 15 games of the season, and it hasn’t veered from it even during the CFP. Cignetti often mentioned his blueprint — including valuing production over potential in the recruiting process — when he first arrived in Bloomington. It’s brought far more achievements than imaginable in just two years

at Indiana, even without a five- and four-star-laden roster. The Hoosiers are 26-2 under Cignetti. Throughout the Cream and Crimson’s 2025 season, they’ve earned blowout victories and close, nail-biting wins. And the Hoosiers’ staff, which sophomore receiver Charlie Becker said is full of “fantastic coaches,” deserves much of the credit. “We have coaches that do a fantastic job of watching the team’s films, breaking it down, making it simple for us players so that we can learn it,” Becker said postgame. “But what’s expected is that we do the work on our own time. We’re watching film. We’re always working super hard.” While preparing is one thing, development is another. Whether it’s senior linebacker Aiden Fisher, senior receiver Elijah Sarratt or sixth-year senior defensive lineman Mikail Kamara, the Hoosiers’ position coaches have elevated zero-star recruits into All-Americans. Sarratt attributed his abilities — and the Hoosiers’ as a whole — to the work they put in Monday through Friday. Stacking weeks on weeks under a coaching staff as skilled as Indiana’s paved such development. “And then when Saturdays come, it’s just us executing out there, not trying to turn the ball over and staying ahead of the sticks,” Sarratt said. “When you’re able to do those three things, usually things go good for you.” Then, those high-level players are paired with talented transfers, who Cignetti identified as a fit for the Hoosiers. The coaching staff then leads preparation, and it results in the Hoosiers’ offense and defense understanding every look an opponent gives. The Hoosiers were coming off a 35-point drubbing of the No. 9 University of Alabama in the Rose Bowl. It was utter dominance in the CFP quarterfinal — one that seemed difficult to replicate against Oregon, the highestranked team remaining. But the Cream and Crimson held a 35-7 lead at halftime against the Ducks and cruised to victory. Indiana notched three takeaways, as Oregon’s offense couldn’t sustain any momentum after its touchdown drive on its second possession. The Hoosiers, who didn’t notch a giveaway, scored 21 points

off the Ducks’ turnovers. Conversely, Mendoza has thrown just six interceptions, and Indiana’s rushing attack has one fumble, which came in the season opener. The Hoosiers don’t beat themselves. The victory Jan. 9 was another dominant win over a ranked opponent, which the Hoosiers have grown familiar with throughout the season. And it’s all because the Hoosiers execute at perhaps the highest level in college football. “We go to practice every day and make sure our fundamentals are sound,” redshirt senior running back Roman Hemby said. “We do everything that we have to do to be successful. On game day, the little mistakes, mental mistakes, we try to eliminate those as much as possible. We’re not perfect. We’ll make mistakes here and there. We’ve got to do everything that we can if we want to win because that’s the difference in a lot of games.” Now, the Hoosiers have two overwhelming victories in the Rose Bowl and the Peach Bowl. The sport’s grandest prize sits directly ahead: the national championship. The Hoosiers surely won’t change their ways now. Their strategy brought them a more than tripled margin of victory compared to the road triumph Oct. 11 against Oregon. Indiana’s staff said it sought to avoid “paralysis by analysis” in its preparation — an approach that appeared to pay off. They will head to Miami for the national championship, aiming to reach college football immortality Jan. 19 against the No. 10 University of Miami. The Hurricanes are another challenge — the Hoosiers’ 16th this season. Cignetti and his program have met every task they’ve faced. All that’s left is one more victory. The wait could come to an end not only for Indiana fans, but also Cignetti. He’s won national championships as an assistant coach at Alabama, but he departed to become a head coach. Now, he has the chance to become national championshipwinning head coach. After all, he’s already done what most deemed impossible. Now, one more high-level team awaits. “And these teams that we’ve been playing, they’re fantastic teams,” Becker said. “And I’m just really happy that we have Curt Cignetti.”

Jan. 15, 2026 | Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com

Haines, Shanahan sign new 3-year contracts Indiana offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines signed new deals in December

By Dalton James

jamesdm@iu.edu | @daltonmjames

Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti has engineered perhaps the greatest turnaround in college football history across his first two seasons in Bloomington. Although Cignetti is the central pillar in the Hoosiers’ success, so is his coaching staff, including defensive coordinator Bryant Haines and offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan. Haines signed a new three-year deal with the Hoosiers on Dec. 12, while Shanahan did so Dec. 18. The Indiana Daily Student obtained both of their memorandums of understanding with the university Jan. 8. Haines will make $3 million, $3.1 million and $3.2 million over each of the next three seasons. Shanahan’s compensation is $1.7 million, $1.8 million and $1.9 million across the upcoming three years. Here’s what to know about the makeup of each of their contracts and the buyouts should they leave Indiana: Haines’ year-by-year compensation and buyout The 41-year-old Haines’ base salary is $450,000 per year. His outside marketing and promotional income is $2.4 million in 2026, and will be $2.5 million in 2027 and $2.6 million in 2028. He’s also owed a $150,000 retention bonus per year, payable in two installments. Haines’ buyout is as follows should he opt to leave the Hoosiers: • Dec. 1, 2025 – April 15, 2026: Haines would owe Indiana 100% of his thencurrent total annual compensation if he left for any coaching position. • April 16, 2026 – April 15, 2027: Haines would owe 30% of his then-current total compensation if he left and accepted a coaching position at another Big Ten university. He would owe 20% of his thencurrent total annual compensation if he left for a coaching position at a university

JIMMY RUSH | IDS

Indiana football offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan (left) and defensive coordinator Bryant Haines (right) speak during media availability for the Peach Bowl on Jan. 7, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Both Shanahan and Haines signed new contracts during the season.

outside the Big Ten. April 16, 2027 – Jan. 15, 2028: Haines would owe 30% of his then-current total compensation if he left and accepted a coaching position at another Big Ten university. He would owe 15% of his thencurrent total annual compensation if he left for a coaching position at a university outside the Big Ten. • Jan.16, 2028 – Jan.15, 2029: $0. Here’s Haines’ buyout should Indiana fire him without cause: • 100% of Haines’ annual compensation paid over the remaining term as if he hadn’t been terminated without cause, subject to mitigation and offset. • In the event Curt Cignetti terminates his employment with Indiana or Indiana terminates Cignetti, Indiana may terminate Haines without cause and pay him six months of his base salary and •

outside, and income.

promotion marketing

Shanahan’s year-by-year compensation and buyout Like Haines, the 36-yearold Shanahan’s base salary is $450,000 per year. His outside marketing and promotional income starts at $1.15 million in 2026, $1.25 million in 2027 and $1.35 million in 2028. Shanahan will earn a $100,000 annual retention bonus. If Shanahan leaves Bloomington for a Division I head coaching position or any coaching job with an NFL team, he owes no liquidation damages. Here’s Shanahan’s buyout should he be fired without cause by Cignetti: • Dec. 1, 2025 – April 15, 2026: Shanahan would owe Indiana 50% of his thencurrent total annual compensation if he left for any coaching position. • April 16, 2026 – April 15, 2027: Shanahan would owe 40% if he left and accepted a coaching position

at another Big Ten university. He would owe 30% of his thencurrent total annual compensation if he left for a coaching position at a university outside of the Big Ten. • April 16, 2027 – April 15, 2028: Shanahan would owe 30% if he left and accepted a coaching position at another Big Ten university. He would owe 20% of his thencurrent total annual compensation if he left for a coaching position at a university outside of the Big Ten. • April 16, 2028 – End of the 2028-29 Season: Shanahan would owe 30% if he left and accepted a coaching position at another Big Ten university. He would owe 15% of his then-current total annual compensation if he left for a coaching position at a university outside of the Big Ten. Here’s Shanahan’s buyout should Indiana terminate his contract: • 100% of Shanahan’s annual compensation

•

paid over the remaining term as if he had not been terminated without cause, subject to mitigation and offset. In the event Cignetti terminates his employment with Indiana or Indiana terminates Cignetti’s employment, Indiana may terminate Shanahan without cause and pay him six months of his base salary and outside, promotion and marketing income. Similarly, Shanahan’s buyout shall be 50% of the otherwise applicable amount.

Haines’ and Shanahan’s bonuses If the Hoosiers’ defense finishes in the top third of the Big Ten in fewest points or yards allowed per game, Haines receives a $250,000 bonus. If Indiana’s offense ranks in the top three of the Big Ten in points per game throughout the regular season, Shanahan would earn a $100,000 bonus. Both coaches would receive 10% of their base

salaries if the Hoosiers reached a non-CFP bowl. The two coaches receive identical bonus for Indiana’s overall season results: • • • • •

•

• • • •

•

Non-CFP bowl appearance: 10% of base salary Nine total wins: 12% of base salary Ten total wins: 15% of base salary Eleven total wins: 20% of base salary Big Ten Championship game appearance: 20% of base salary Big Ten Championship game victory: 25% of base salary CFP appearance: 30% of base salary CFP quarterfinals appearance: 35% of base salary CFP semifinals appearance: 40% of base salary CFP National Championship Game appearance: 45% of base salary CFP National Championship Game victory: 50% of base salary

Indiana LB Aiden Fisher dispels cheating rumors By Dalton James

jamesdm@iu.edu | @daltonmjames

When Indiana football has previously been the talk of social media, it was largely due to its inability to win. Except for four bowl game appearances since social media’s creation in the late 1990s, the Hoosiers were largely unsuccessful before they hired Curt Cignetti in 2023. The Cream and Crimson became a feel-good story on platforms in 2024 before they fell to Ohio State and the University of Notre Dame, stirring a conversation about their legitimacy in the College Football Playoff. Now, with the 15-0 Hoosiers set to play in their first national championship, there are new claims from users on social media: Is Indiana cheating? The Hoosiers’ defense has notched early sacks and turnovers in victories this season , including against Iowa, UCLA and Ohio State. Junior defensive back D’Angelo Ponds’ pick6 on Oregon’s first play from scrimmage was just the latest early-game mistake Indiana’s opponents have made.

“A lot of people have put things out, but we just do a great job preparing.” Aiden Fisher, senior linebacker

When senior linebacker Aiden Fisher stood inside the Don Croftcheck Team Room at Memorial Stadium for a press conference Jan. 13, he was asked about Indiana’s fast starts on

LAUREN MCKINNEY | IDS

Senior linebacker Aiden Fisher lines up with an Iowa player in a game Sept. 27, 2025, at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. The Hoosiers advanced to the College Football Playoff national championship with their win over Oregon in the CFP semifinals.

defense. Since the Hoosiers have intercepted passes and sacked quarterbacks early in games, some have claimed the only explanation is Indiana must be cheating. “It’s just the way it’s played out,” Fisher said of the defensive starts. “I have seen all the stuff about different things for our team. It’s funny and kind of ridiculous to me, but we watch film, we study, we prepare.” Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti, who has been more offensivelyminded since his playing days, previously said he gave defensive coordinator Bryant Haines full reign over the Hoosiers defense. Not only does the Cream and Crimson’s offense dissect what coverages and passrush schemes opponents are implementing, their

defense does, too. During a Zoom press conference Jan. 12, University of Miami head coach Mario Cristobal even called the Hoosiers the “best overall team and best defense” the Hurricanes have faced throughout their season. He also identified Indiana as a squad that plays “great complementary football,” where all three phases of the game are at their best. “You witnessed some of it in their last game,” Cristobal said. “But if you looked throughout the course of the season, from the first series at Iowa, to this last weekend with the pick-6 and the forced fumble and whatnot, they do a great job playing complementary football.” Much of Indiana’s success can be attributed to its preparation. Whether

it’s Cignetti explaining he’s never seen a collegiate player prepare to the level that redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza does or the defense’s quick starts, the Hoosiers are consistently ready to produce when the ball is snapped. “We have things that we can see within our preparation, and then we have the best ‘D’ coordinator in college football,” Fisher said. “So, when you match up those things, you get off to fast starts as a defense.” The Hoosiers have also been forced to replace key players who suffered season-ending injuries, such as senior defensive linemen Kellan Wyatt and Stephen Daley. Wyatt went down with a knee injury against Michigan State on Oct. 18.

Then, Daley filled Wyatt’s role and became the Big Ten leader in tackles for loss with 19. But Daley also suffered a knee injury during the Big Ten Championship game celebration. Sophomore defensive lineman Daniel Ndukwe has stepped up and embodied the Hoosiers’ next-manup mentality; he made two sacks, forced a fumble and blocked a punt in the Peach Bowl against Oregon. Now, the Hoosiers are slated to face the Hurricanes with a national championship on the line. Nothing changes for Indiana in its first trip to the title game. The Hoosiers are keeping their preparation the same, no matter the talk on social media. “A lot of people have put things out,” Fisher said, “but we just do a great job preparing.”

LAUREN MCKINNEY | IDS

Jan. 15, 2026 | Indiana Daily Student | idsnews.com

Indiana wins the Peach Bowl

1 3

6 5 PHOTO BY JIMMY RUSH | IDS

1. Indiana football captains walk onto the field before the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The captains walked onto the field before the rest of the team. PHOTO BY JIMMY RUSH | IDS

2. Redshirt senior running back Kaelon Black runs toward the end zone during the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Black had two rushing touchdowns in the game. PHOTO BY BRIANA PACE | IDS

3. The George P. Crumbley trophy is held in the air after the CFP semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. With the win, Indiana secured its first appearance in the national championship game.

PHOTO BY JIMMY RUSH | IDS

4. Indiana football players point down the field after a fumble during the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Indiana recovered two fumbles in the game. PHOTO BY BRIANA PACE | IDS

5. Senior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt celebrates winning the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Sarratt scored two touchdowns in the game. PHOTO BY JIMMY RUSH | IDS

6. Redshirt junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza kisses the George P. Crumbley Trophy following the CFP Semifinal game Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Mendoza had five passing touchdowns in the game. PHOTO BY JIMMY RUSH | IDS

7. Redshirt junior wide receiver Omar Cooper Jr. jumps to catch a ball during the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Cooper had one touchdown in the game. PHOTO BY BRIANA PACE | IDS

8. Indiana fans cheer on the Hoosiers during the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at MercedesBenz Stadium in Atlanta. The stadium was packed with Hoosier fans. PHOTO BY BRIANA PACE | IDS

9. Sophomore wide receiver Charlie Becker scores a touchdown during the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Becker had 48 receiving yards in the game.

PHOTO BY BRIANA PACE | IDS

10. A Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl champions hat is seen after the CFP Semifinal game against Oregon on Jan. 9, 2026, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Hoosiers defeated the Ducks 56-22.