Sports
Indiana erases forgettable history with unforgettable title
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The distance between the frozen 50-yard line at Memorial Stadium, home to the Hoosiers of Bloomington, Indiana, to the center of the field of Miami’s Hard Rock Stadium, where those Hoosiers did snow angels in red and white confetti celebrating a College Football Playoff National Championship on Monday night, is 1,166 miles.
But it’s a hell of a lot of further than that.
It is also 715 losses, which was the most recorded by any team in the 156 years of college football. Was. It was an all-time bowl record of 3-8. Was. It was zero double-digit win seasons since 1887. Was. It was the promise of so many coaches hired — nine from 1982 to 2023 — brought to town with so much energy, from Lee Corso and Cam Cameron to Gerry DiNardo to Kevin Wilson to Tom Allen. All flirted with winning, all teased the fan base with signs of success, but all ultimately left town as just another letdown with another folder full of losing records.
Was no outright Big Ten titles since 1945. Was no appearances in the Big Ten championship game. Zero weeks atop the AP Top 25 poll. No Heisman winners. No Rose Bowl wins. No national titles.
Was. Was. Was. Was.
All that came before — more accurately, all that never came before — was swept away in a wave of was Monday night. So many years. So many games. So many moments of acceptance that, well, hell, Indiana is just never going to be good at football. Gone. Erased by way of a thrilling 27-21 victory over a resurgent college football blue blood, the Miami Hurricanes, and in Miami’s home stadium. The kid who won that Heisman won the game not with the arm that earned his accolades, but with a bulldozer 12-yard touchdown run. And a team that made its living breathlessly outscoring teams iced the victory with a red zone interception in the closing seconds.
People argue that the multiverse isn’t real. But we now live on a college football timeline in which the worst program in the game’s history is one of the most memorable national champions that history has ever witnessed.
“I know Indiana’s football history has been pretty poor with some good years sprinkled in there,” said coach Curt Cignetti, who removed his team from the top of the all-time loss rankings with a 16-0 season. “It was because there wasn’t an emphasis on football, plain and simple. It’s a basketball school. Coach [Bob] Knight had great teams. The emphasis 1768925918 is on football. It’s on basketball, too. But you’ve got to be good in football nowadays. … We’ve got a fan base, the largest alumni base in the country, Indiana University. They’re all-in. We’ve got a lot of momentum.”
Indiana. Football school. It is a truth that is hard to accept. But none of us should feel guilty about that, because the Hoosiers themselves also are having a hard time with it.
“What I want to do right now is go back to the 1990s and tell everyone that this is going to happen, because they won’t believe it. And I know that because honestly, it’s hard for me to believe it, and I’m standing out here on the field right now,” said Adewale Ogunleye, perhaps the perfect one-man encapsulation of the Indiana football story — a three-time All-Big Ten defensive end and Indiana Athletics Hall of Famer who had an 11-year NFL career that included a first-team Pro Bowl selection. And yet from 1996 to 1999, his four Indiana teams went 13-31 with zero bowl appearances and never finished higher than eighth in the conference.
The former captain of his team and honorary captain of this team paused and pointed toward the crowd as the fans serenaded that Heisman-winning quarterback, Fernando Mendoza, with ABBA’s “Fernando.”
“I love all the people who have gotten onboard with Indiana football this year and last. But what I really wish is that every single one of those old-school fans who stuck it out with us back in the day, I wish we could have them all here tonight,” Ogunleye said as he sneaked a peak at his phone and grinned. The texts were rolling in from his NFL friends who attended the so-called football schools, including a few of the Miami legends who had been on the Hurricanes’ sideline but were already headed home. “The fans who showed up on a cold Saturday in November, knowing we were going to lose to Ohio State or Michigan, all the schools these guys are texting me from right now. Those fans, the ones who showed up then, they earned this just as much as those guys up on that stage with that trophy. They deserve to be here.”
So many were. They made that 1,166-mile drive south over the weekend, many at the last minute and more than a few without a ticket. It was a modern-day version of those classic images from the film “Hoosiers.” A conga line of cars and trucks rolling down I-95 into South Florida as if they were following the Hickory High bus to Indianapolis for the state championship. They were inspired by their team’s postseason run through the throne rooms of college football royalty, beating Ohio State, Alabama, Oregon, and now a chance to topple The U in its own backyard.
Like Harry Davis of Indianapolis, wearing a red-and-gold Hickory High T-shirt that he bought from the gym in Knightstown, Indiana, where many of the game scenes for the movie were shot. In giant lettering on the back was the quote from Norman Dale (Gene Hackman): “My team is on the floor.”
“I ain’t telling you how much I paid for this ticket because I don’t want my wife to read this and divorce me for irresponsible spending,” Davis said from his seat four rows from the top of Section 345. Secondary market ticket prices for the game reached record levels thanks to the participation of the hometown Hurricanes, but according to one streetside ticket seller outside of the Indiana team hotel Sunday afternoon, “It’s because of the Indiana people.”
“But what the hell was I supposed to do?” Davis continued. “Wait and hope the prices came down next year? Do you know how long I’ve been waiting on next year to happen? You think I’m gonna wait for another one?”
Davis politely told this nosy reporter that he didn’t want to talk anymore because, well, there was game going on. Same for the Indiana fraternity guys wearing vintage 1991 Final Four T-shirts. “I took mine from my dad’s closet. The other guys got theirs on the internet.” Same for the Johnson brothers from Terre Haute, who wore the jerseys of arguably the two greatest pre-Mendoza Hoosiers, the quarterback from Ogunleye’s era, pre-internet dual-threat sensation Antwaan Randle El and the pride of Terre Haute, running back Anthony Thompson, who finished second in the 1989 Heisman race. “We went with our dad to Wisconsin and saw Anthony run for four TDs and almost 400 yards,” one of the brothers shouted over the crowd singing “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers. The other brother added: “That team went 5-6. Welcome to Indiana football.”
Was. What Indiana football was.
It was, like Thompson’s career, all about great moments that added up to great disappointments. Pretty good. Never great. No offense to Corso’s 1979 Holiday Bowl champs or Vaughn Dunbar’s heroics in the 1991 Copper Bowl, but that’s as good as it ever was. The good people of Bloomington content to let Notre Dame be the state’s football school with occasional loan-outs to Purdue, while everyone in red waited for hoops season to finally tip off.
“Even last year, it was like, that was amazing, but you could feel people saying, well, will they just settle back into what they always do?” acknowledged Alberto Mendoza, Fernando’s younger brother and backup quarterback, as that CFP title confetti settled on his shoulders in the same stadium where the Miami natives used to attend Hurricanes games. He was speaking of 2024, he and Cignetti’s first season in Bloomington, a year that produced a then-school record 11 wins and a playoff berth that ended with a first-round exit. “I get it. When you’ve been beat down, you have to be careful about your expectations. Now I think those expectations have changed, don’t you?”
Yes sir. What we thought — what everyone outside of the Indiana locker room thought — was just a Cinderella in high-top sneakers, a one-season wonder, now feels like the origin story of a Midwestern monster.
“I will have a beer and I will give myself a day to enjoy this. Maybe. A day sounds too long, doesn’t it?” Cignetti said as a smile finally cracked his now-internet-famous scowl. “No one expected this. Even if they are a believer tonight, I know they aren’t expecting Indiana to keep rolling. So let’s get to work on that.”
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Palestinian Football Association President Jibril Rajoub refused to shake hands or even stand beside Israel Football Association Vice President Basim Sheikh Suliman during a tense exchange at the FIFA Congress Thursday.
Both officials were invited to the stage by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, but the Palestinian representative resisted efforts to bring him closer to his Israeli counterpart.
FIFA President Gianni Infantino shakes hands with Basim Sheikh Suliman (left), vice president of the Israeli Football Association, as Jibril Rajoub (right), president of the Palestine Football Association, leaves the stage at the 76th FIFA Congress in Vancouver, Canada, April 30, 2026. (Reuters/Jennifer Gauthier)
Infantino briefly placed a hand on Rajoub’s arm and gestured for him to step forward, but Rajoub did not comply.
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FIFA President Gianni Infantino speaks during the 2026 Semafor World Economy conference in Washington, D.C., on April 15, 2026. (Kent Nishimura/AFP)
The Palestinian FA, led by Rajoub, has long pushed for Israel to be suspended from international soccer competition.
Rajoub defended his decision, saying he remains committed to formal processes but believes stronger action is needed.
“I still respect and follow the legal procedure, but I think it’s time to understand that Israel should be sanctioned. The double-standard policy should stop,” Rajoub said, according to The Times of Israel.
“I refused to shake hands. Sport is sport. … For me, that should be respected, but if the other side is representing a criminal like Bibi [Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] and speaking on behalf of Bibi as if Bibi is Mother Teresa, how can I shake hands or have a photo with such a man?
A fan displays a Palestinian flag during a Nations League group stage match between France and Israel Nov. 14, 2024. (Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters)
“I think Gianni has the right to try to bridge gaps and bring people together, but I think maybe he does not understand or does not know the deep suffering of the Palestinian people.”
After the exchange, Infantino addressed the room, urging cooperation.
“We will work together, President Rajoub, Vice President Suliman. Let’s work together to give hope to the children. These are complex matters,” Infantino said.
Speaking just before the incident, Suliman emphasized the unifying role of the sport.
“In football, there is no place for politics,” Suliman said. “Everyone has the right to play and compete. We are teaching children values like respect, equality and love for others, and we hope that by the next time we meet, the situation will be better. We extend a hand to the Palestinian FA in the spirit of those shared values.”
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Players from Paris Saint-Germain and Tottenham Hotspur line up before the UEFA Super Cup soccer match in Udine, Italy, on Aug. 13, 2025. (Denes Erdos/AP)
UEFA was reportedly moving toward a vote to suspend Israel over the war in Gaza in September, but the motion was put on pause.
Infantino announced no action would be taken against the team on Oct. 3 after a historic peace proposal by President Donald Trump and Netanyahu.
However, even after the peace proposal, Israeli sports teams have faced opposition and exclusion.
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Hyderabad Kingsmen advanced to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final after defeating Islamabad United by two runs in the thrilling second eliminator at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
The victory propelled the debutants into the final, where they will lock horns with table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue on Sunday, while it drew curtains on the United’s campaign at the eight-team tournament.
The United got off to an unwanted start to the pursuit as they lost Sameer Minhas (six) and Mohsin Riaz (five) inside three overs with just 15 runs on the board.
Skipper Shadab Khan then joined Devon Conway in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 42 runs for the second wicket until Saim Ayub dismissed the left-handed opener in the eighth over, who made a 25-ball 30 with the help of three fours and a six.
Shadab was then involved in a brief 11-run partnership for the fourth wicket until eventually falling victim to Hassan Khan on the first delivery of the 11th over and walked back after a cautious 22 off 24 deliveries.
Following his dismissal, Chapman took the reins of United’s pursuit and raised a crucial 64-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Haider Ali, who contributed with a 16-ball 31 until falling victim to Mohammad Ali in the 16th over.
Chapman, on the other hand, followed suit 10 deliveries later, falling victim to Hunain Shah in the 18th over. He remained the top-scorer for the United with a quickfire 43 off 26 deliveries, studded with five fours and two sixes.
But his dismissal did not bother the three-time champions as the all-rounder duo of Faheem Ashraf and Chris Green put them into the commanding position by smashing Ali for 22 runs in the penultimate over, and brought the required equation down to six runs off the last over.
Bowling the final over, with just six runs to defend, Hunain delivered impeccable death bowling as he gave just three runs to secure a thrilling two-run victory for the Kingsmen.
For the Kingsmen, Ali and Hunain bagged two wickets each, while Akif Javed, Hassan Khan and Saim Ayub chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Hunain claimed the Player of the Match award for a brilliant six-run defence in the tense final over.
Put into bat first, the Kingsmen piled up 186/5 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a sensational fifth-wicket partnership between Usman and Kusal Perera.
The Kingsmen got off to a dismal start to their innings as Richard Gleeson dismissed left-handed opener Maaz Sadaqat for a four-ball duck in the first over, with just one run on the board.
Following the early stutter, Saim Ayub joined captain Marnus Labuschagne in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 70 runs for the second wicket.
Chris Green eventually broke the budding partnership in the 10th over by getting rid of Saim, who walked back after scoring 38 off 27 deliveries with the help of seven fours.
Labuschagne was then involved in a brief 13-run partnership for the third wicket with Glenn Maxwell (three) until both Australians fell victim to Imad Wasim in the pulsating 12th over, resulting in Kingsmen slipping to 85/4.
The Kingsmen captain remained a notable run-getter for the tournament debutants, scoring 40 off 32 deliveries, featuring four fours and a six.
Following the back-to-back blows, in-form wicketkeeper batter Usman and Perera forced an astounding turnaround as they bolstered the Kingsmen’s total past the 180-run mark with a 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Usman, who dominated the crucial stand, remained their top-scorer with an unbeaten 61 off 30 deliveries, studded with 10 boundaries, while Perera chipped in with a 21-ball 37, comprising four fours and two sixes.
Imad was the standout bowler for the United, taking two wickets for just 16 runs in his two overs, while Faheem Ashraf, Gleeson and Green made one scalp apiece.
- Kingsmen’s Usman smashes unbeaten 61 in eliminator showdown.
- Mark Chapman scores rapid 43 but United fall short narrowly.
- Hyderabad Kingsmen set up PSL 11 final against Peshawar Zalmi.
Hyderabad Kingsmen advanced to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) 11 final after defeating Islamabad United by two runs in the thrilling second eliminator at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium on Friday.
The victory propelled the debutants into the final, where they will lock horns with table-toppers Peshawar Zalmi at the same venue on Sunday, while it drew curtains on the United’s campaign at the eight-team tournament.
The United got off to an unwanted start to the pursuit as they lost Sameer Minhas (six) and Mohsin Riaz (five) inside three overs with just 15 runs on the board.
Skipper Shadab Khan then joined Devon Conway in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 42 runs for the second wicket until Saim Ayub dismissed the left-handed opener in the eighth over, who made a 25-ball 30 with the help of three fours and a six.
Shadab was then involved in a brief 11-run partnership for the fourth wicket until eventually falling victim to Hassan Khan on the first delivery of the 11th over and walked back after a cautious 22 off 24 deliveries.
Following his dismissal, Chapman took the reins of United’s pursuit and raised a crucial 64-run partnership for the fourth wicket with Haider Ali, who contributed with a 16-ball 31 until falling victim to Mohammad Ali in the 16th over.
Chapman, on the other hand, followed suit 10 deliveries later, falling victim to Hunain Shah in the 18th over. He remained the top-scorer for the United with a quickfire 43 off 26 deliveries, studded with five fours and two sixes.
But his dismissal did not bother the three-time champions as the all-rounder duo of Faheem Ashraf and Chris Green put them into the commanding position by smashing Ali for 22 runs in the penultimate over, and brought the required equation down to six runs off the last over.
Bowling the final over, with just six runs to defend, Hunain delivered impeccable death bowling as he gave just three runs to secure a thrilling two-run victory for the Kingsmen.
For the Kingsmen, Ali and Hunain bagged two wickets each, while Akif Javed, Hassan Khan and Saim Ayub chipped in with one scalp apiece.
Hunain claimed the Player of the Match award for a brilliant six-run defence in the tense final over.
Put into bat first, the Kingsmen piled up 186/5 in their 20 overs, courtesy of a sensational fifth-wicket partnership between Usman and Kusal Perera.
The Kingsmen got off to a dismal start to their innings as Richard Gleeson dismissed left-handed opener Maaz Sadaqat for a four-ball duck in the first over, with just one run on the board.
Following the early stutter, Saim Ayub joined captain Marnus Labuschagne in the middle, and the duo batted cautiously to put together 70 runs for the second wicket.
Chris Green eventually broke the budding partnership in the 10th over by getting rid of Saim, who walked back after scoring 38 off 27 deliveries with the help of seven fours.
Labuschagne was then involved in a brief 13-run partnership for the third wicket with Glenn Maxwell (three) until both Australians fell victim to Imad Wasim in the pulsating 12th over, resulting in Kingsmen slipping to 85/4.
The Kingsmen captain remained a notable run-getter for the tournament debutants, scoring 40 off 32 deliveries, featuring four fours and a six.
Following the back-to-back blows, in-form wicketkeeper batter Usman and Perera forced an astounding turnaround as they bolstered the Kingsmen’s total past the 180-run mark with a 101-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
Usman, who dominated the crucial stand, remained their top-scorer with an unbeaten 61 off 30 deliveries, studded with 10 boundaries, while Perera chipped in with a 21-ball 37, comprising four fours and two sixes.
Imad was the standout bowler for the United, taking two wickets for just 16 runs in his two overs, while Faheem Ashraf, Gleeson and Green made one scalp apiece.
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