Indiana University Football is having an unprecedented season. The team holds a total of one Heisman award winner—which is an award for the most outstanding player in U.S. college football as of said year, one week at the no. 1 in CFP (College Football Playoff) rankings as well as a record of 10-3 (loss-win) in bowl games. Historically, the team has a record of 508-692-38 (Wins-Losses-Ties).
Now the Hoosiers are headed to the CFP championship, where they will face Miami, no. 10, in Miami, Florida on Monday at 7:30 p.m.
IU fans who are unable to travel down to Florida can also attend the game at Assembly Hall on the IU campus (with a free ticket), with entrance starting at 6 p.m. The option is also available to watch at home on ESPN or YouTube TV with a subscription.
Kari Morarity, a teacher at FHS, has been interested in Indiana University since before college.
“I became an IU fan watching the 1987 men’s basketball team win the NCAA championship,” Morarity said, “It made me want to attend IU.”
Morarity was also present when Curt Cignetti (the recently hired head coach) made his debut speaking at a men’s basketball game in late 2023. At the game Cignetti promised to play Ohio State and Michigan, as well as “Purdue sucks.” Since his introduction, the team has gone 25-2 overall, with the 2025 season holding a record of 15-0. This has happened four times prior to 2025.
“He shocked everyone with what he said,” Morarity said, “it is amazing how quickly he has delivered.”
Along with the undefeated regular season, quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the team’s first and only Heisman Award trophy, while Cignetti became the back-to-back winner of the Associated Press (AP) Coach of the Year award.
Besides Cignetti, the team is also comprised of players from throughout Indiana. Madison Norris, an HSE graduate from 2018, Omar Cooper Jr., a graduate from Lawrence North, and Khobie Martin, a former student from Fishers high school are just a couple of players from Indiana high schools on the team.
“I had Khobie Martin in chemistry,” Morarity said. “It has been extra special to see him living his best life playing for the Hoosiers.”
Former students are not the only ones at the Football games, though. Junior Emme Schoenefeld has been an IU fan since the day she was born.
“I have been to at least 15 games in person,” said Schoenefeld. “At first when we were not so good, the environment in the stadium could be boring.”
Schoenefeld reflects on how, in seasons prior, “no matter how many times we were beaten, IU fans still showed out,” and that the environment has “grown in such a positive way” since the introduction of Cignetti.
Another student, freshman Lincoln Cook, attended the Peach Bowl (January 9) in person along with his family.
“Watching the games is a way for us to be together,” Cook said.
Cook expressed that the Peach Bowl “was a lot more fun in person” and “everyone around you is hyped up.”
Morarity, who went to California to attend the first game of the CFP, found the atmosphere “electric,” similar to Cook.
“This is such a special team that has the whole country rooting for them,” Morarity said.
She plans to attend the championship in Miami, where she is “looking forward to sunshine and ending the perfect season with a victory.”
The Hoosiers have had an undefeated regular season in 2025, according to SRCFB, with a win over the former no. 1 seed Ohio State beating them 13-10 in the Big Ten championship. Throughout the CFP, Indiana has continued its ‘streak’ by winning against Alabama 38-3 and Oregon 56-22.
Cook and Schoenefeld both mentioned how surprising it was that IU is now 16-0, with Schoenefeld bringing up how “it is very deserved.”
“This year would make a perfect movie, and what a way to end it playing in the star quarterback’s hometown beating the team that did not give him a chance,” Morarity said. “Go Hoosiers!”
