IRVING, TEXAS (Jan. 20, 2026) - The National Football Foundation (NFF) & College Hall of Fame today recognized No. 1 Indiana (16-0) as the recipient of the 2025 NFF MacArthur Bowl National Championship Trophy following the team's 27-21 victory over No. 10 Miami (FL) (13-3) yesterday in the College Football Playoff (CFP) National Championship Presented by AT&T before a sellout crowd of 67,227 fans at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
 
The 2025 Hoosiers' name will now be etched alongside the greatest teams in college football history on the MacArthur Bowl Championship Trophy, marking the first time Indiana has claimed a national title since fielding a team in 1887. The Hoosiers became the first team in the modern era to go 16-0 and finish undefeated, a feat last accomplished by Yale, which posted a 16-0 season in 1894. The trophy is housed at the Chick-fil-A College Football Hall of Fame in Atlanta and has been presented since 1959.
 
"On behalf of the National Football Foundation, our 12,000 members, our Board of Directors, and Chairman Archie Manning, we are extremely proud to recognize Coach Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers," said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. "In just two short years, Coach Cignetti and his staff transformed the Hoosiers from the losingest program in college football history into national champions, an achievement that is simply unprecedented. This trophy was established in 1959 by General Douglas MacArthur, the great sportswriter Grantland Rice, and legendary coach Red Blaik, and etched in silver on this stadium replica are the names of every national champion since. As the keepers of the sport's history and legacy, we are exceptionally proud to continue this unique tradition by adding the 2025 Indiana team to its walls."
 
Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza claimed offensive MVP honors, scoring on a game-defining 12-yard, tackle-breaking touchdown run. The score came on a dramatic fourth-and-four call with 9:18 left in the game. Hoosier defensive lineman Mikail Kamara was named the defensive MVP after blocking a punt in the third quarter, which Hoosier linebacker Isaiah Jones recovered in the Miami end zone for a touchdown.
 
Coach Cignetti has now led the Hoosiers to a 27-2 record in his two seasons as head coach, including a Big Ten title this year and back-to-back College Football Playoff appearances, which included victories over Ohio State, Alabama and Oregon en route to the 2025-26 national crown.
 
Presented to every national champion since 1959, the MacArthur Bowl represents the pinnacle of team achievement in college sports, and each year during its 67-year history a new name has been etched alongside the greatest teams of all time. The trophy, a replica of a football stadium, features archways with space to engrave the names of 100 teams and miniature goalposts. The trophy was the gift of an anonymous donor, who commissioned Tiffany & Co. to craft it from 400 ounces of silver, in honor of early NFF leader General Douglas MacArthur. It took eight months to make, and the trophy features MacArthur's famous quote: "There is no substitute for victory."
 
During college football's Poll Era, the NFF MacArthur Bowl Committee selected the recipient of the trophy. With the advent of the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) in 1998, the national championship game has determined which team claimed the MacArthur Bowl, a tradition that continues under the College Football Playoff. Alabama has the most CFP national titles during the CFP era with three. Clemson, Georgia and Ohio State have each claimed the crown twice during the CFP era, rounding out the group of teams with multiple CFP titles.
 
Twenty-five different schools have claimed the MacArthur Bowl at least once during its 67-year history. Alabama has hoisted it the most, claiming it 10 times. Ohio State and Notre Dame have the second most wins with five each while Miami (FL), Southern California and Texas have each etched their names four times on the trophy. Clemson, Florida, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Nebraska and Oklahoma each boast three trophies. Michigan, Michigan State and Penn State have each won the trophy twice.
 
First presented in 1959, NFF National Champions and MacArthur Bowl recipients include: Syracuse 1959, Minnesota 1960, Alabama 1961, Southern California 1962, Texas 1963, Notre Dame 1964, Michigan State 1965, Michigan State/Notre Dame 1966, Southern California 1967, Ohio State 1968, Texas 1969, Ohio State/Texas 1970, Nebraska 1971, Southern California 1972, Notre Dame 1973, Southern California 1974, Oklahoma 1975, Pittsburgh 1976, Notre Dame 1977, Alabama 1978, Alabama 1979, Georgia 1980, Clemson 1981, Penn State 1982, Miami (FL) 1983, Brigham Young 1984, Oklahoma 1985, Penn State 1986, Miami (FL) 1987, Notre Dame 1988, Miami (FL) 1989, Colorado 1990, Washington 1991, Alabama 1992, Florida State 1993, Nebraska 1994, Nebraska 1995, Florida 1996, Michigan 1997, Tennessee 1998, Florida State 1999, Oklahoma 2000, Miami (FL) 2001, Ohio State 2002, LSU 2003, Vacated 2004, Texas 2005, Florida 2006, LSU 2007, Florida 2008, Alabama 2009, Auburn 2010, Alabama 2011, Alabama 2012, Florida State 2013, Ohio State 2014, Alabama 2015, Clemson 2016, Alabama 2017, Clemson 2018, LSU 2019, Alabama 2020, Georgia 2021, Georgia 2022, Michigan 2023, Ohio State 2024 and Indiana, 2025.