Dave Portnoy called the revival of Indiana Hoosiers ‘one of the most impressive things I’ve seen in the history of sports’ after their blowout win over Oregon saw them set up a college football final against Miami Hurricanes.
Led by the nailed-on No. 1 pick in the 2026 NFL Draft later this year in quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers blow Oregon away 56-22 with a mercilessly dominant display at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Mendoza threw five touchdown passes in another commanding display. And Portnoy, a huge Michigan fan, could not help but tip his hat to Indiana and their coach Curt Cignetti.
Taking to X in the final moments of Friday night’s game, the Barstool Sports founder wrote: ‘What Curt Cignetti has done at Indiana is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most impressive things I’ve seen in the history of sports.
‘Indiana was one of the worst football programs in the history of college football. I thought Cig was a clown during that initial presser when he said “google me”. I was like this guy is gonna get throttled by the big boys.
‘Instead it only took him 2 years to turn Indiana into a dominant national power. Sure NIL helps but still this is insane.
Fernando Mendoza threw five touchdown passes as Indiana Hoosiers crushed Oregon Ducks
‘It seemed beyond impossible to ever do it but to do it this fast? I still can’t believe it. The Big 10 now goes through Ann Arbor and Bloomington. Who would have ever dreamed it?’
The No. 1-seeded Hoosiers will meet the Hurricanes at the Hard Rock stadium on Monday January 19, in Miami and they will be the favorites to emerge victorious.
It has already been a historic season for Indiana, and Mendoza is largely to credit.
Indiana won its first Big Ten title since 1967, beat Ohio State for the first time since 1988, earned the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, won its first Rose Bowl, and in December, Mendoza became the program’s first Heisman Trophy winner.
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