Indiana football is standing on the edge of history, and not just the program’s own. With one final game remaining in an erstwhile flawless season, the Hoosiers have an opportunity that once felt unimaginable. They can enter the greatest-of-all-time conversation alongside the legendary 2019 LSU Tigers. A decisive win in the College Football Playoff National Championship would not merely crown Indiana as champions. It would also force the sport to reexamine what dominance looks like in the modern era.
A perfect season
Indiana football has completed a historic and undefeated 15-0 run so far in their 2025-26 campaign. They captured the program’s first-ever Big Ten title and did so with authority. Under head coach Curt Cignetti, Indiana became the most relentless team in the country. They have won games by an average margin of 31.1 points. The Hoosiers paired ruthless efficiency with explosive production. They finished the regular season with the nation’s top-ranked offense at over 500 yards per game.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza has authored a season for the ages. He claimed the Heisman Trophy while operating Indiana's offense with surgical precision. Running back Roman Hemby provided balance and physicality, He punishing defenses that sold out to stop the pass. By the time the dust settled in December, Indiana wasn’t just unbeaten. They were unquestioned as the most complete team in the country. Not surprisingly, they earned the No. 1 seed in the expanded CFP.
A run removing all doubt
Indiana’s CFP journey so far has only strengthened its case as an all-time powerhouse. In the Rose Bowl, the Hoosiers dismantled the Alabama Crimson Tide, 38-3. The win wasn’t fluky or narrow, too. It was the kind of performance that left no room for debate.
The Peach Bowl brought another blueblood opponent in the Oregon Ducks. Once again, Indiana rose to the moment. The Hoosiers overwhelmed Oregon with speed, depth, and execution. They pulled away early and never looked back. A 34-point victory on that stage sent a clear message. Indiana wasn’t just surviving the playoff. The Hoosiers were dominating it. Now, at 15–0, the Hoosiers head to the National Championship with a chance to finish a perfect season and cement themselves in college football’s highest tier.
Here we will look at and discuss why Indiana football can put itself in GOAT conversation with 2019 LSU by crushing Miami in the CFP title game.
The benchmark
Any GOAT conversation inevitably leads to the LSU Tigers of 2019. That team is widely regarded as the gold standard of modern college football. Under head coach Ed Orgeron, LSU stormed through a brutal schedule to finish 15–0 and claim the national title. The Tigers were powered by Heisman-winning quarterback Joe Burrow. His command of a high-octane spread offense reshaped perceptions of offensive dominance.
LSU’s resume remains staggering. They had seven wins over top-10 opponents, five against top-five teams, and an average margin of victory of 26.5 points. The Tigers overwhelmed elite competition week after week. With Burrow, Justin Jefferson, and Ja'Marr Chase all becoming NFL stars, that LSU team has aged as well as any champion ever has. This has reinforced its reputation as the modern-era measuring stick.
Changing the debate
The No. 1 seed Hoosiers (15–0) can place themselves squarely in the GOAT discussion by emphatically defeating the Miami Hurricanes (13–2) in the CFP National Championship on Monday, January 19, 2026. A win alone would be historic. A crushing win would be transformative.
Indiana already compares favorably on paper. The Hoosiers’ average margin of victory (31.1 points) exceeds LSU’s 2019 figure. Their semifinal demolition of Oregon was also more lopsided than any of LSU’s playoff wins. What remains is a dominant championship performance that leaves no ambiguity. That would be the exclamation point.
Miami presents a legitimate challenge, though, particularly up front. That's where the Hurricanes’ defensive line could test Indiana’s offensive front. However, this matchup also favors Indiana’s greatest strengths. With Mendoza’s poise and the physical running of dynamic duo Hemby and Kaelon Black, the Hoosiers have answers for every defensive adjustment. Oddsmakers have installed Indiana as roughly an 8.5-point favorite. That reflects the growing belief that this team is operating on a different level.
If Indiana turns the title matchup into another runaway, the comparison to LSU will become unavoidable. The argument won’t be whether Indiana belongs in the conversation. It will be where they rank within it.
Final thoughts
Great teams win championships, but all-time great teams redefine expectations. Indiana has already rewritten its own history. They have an undefeated season, a Big Ten title, and a dominant playoff run. Now comes the final test. A resounding victory over Miami wouldn’t just deliver a national championship. It would force college football to acknowledge a new benchmark of dominance.
For years, the GOAT debate has belonged to 2019 LSU football. On Monday night, though, Indiana has a chance to crash that conversation. Perhaps, with one more overwhelming performance, they can actually lay claim to a seat at the very top.
