Story byAlysa Guffey, Indianapolis StarTue, January 20, 2026 at 11:50 PM UTC·2 min readThe Indiana Hoosiers flew back to Indianapolis on Jan. 20 with one additional carry-on: a national championship trophy. One by one as the sun was setting, the players on the IU football team disembarked a United charter flight at the Indianapolis International Airport and boarded a handful of coach buses to take them the rest of the way back to Bloomington, where celebrations will continue into the coming days and weekend. Some players wore shorts as they stepped out into the bitter Indiana cold while others were bundled up in pajama pants. AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementStarting quarterback and Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza had on shorts and a pair of shiny gold headphones as he exited with his team. And less than 24 hours after he led his team to a perfect 16-0 season and the first national championship in program history, IU football head coach Curt Cignetti, known for his dour expressions, offered a wave and a slight smile to a small crowd of local media as he walked the short distance to the bus. Though there was no iconic trophy lift as the team exited the plane, the hardware will be arriving in Bloomington soon enough. Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza walks off an airplane as his team returns home after beating Miami in the College Football Playoff national championship game on Tuesday, Jan.
