ATLANTA — The distinctive, shrill sound of the air horn at Mercedes-Benz Stadium first echoed on Friday evening, a mere 11 seconds into the game. This particular siren, celebrated for its unique local narrative, announces each touchdown with a powerful blast across the venue.
This urban center originated almost two centuries prior, established at the final station of the Western & Atlantic railroad. Initially designated as Terminus, signifying the culmination of the route, its foundation was marked by a driven stake.
Since the completion of this contemporary gridiron arena nine years ago, complete with the inclusion of a train horn to honor the city’s railway origins, a multitude of elite college football programs have traversed Atlanta en route to securing national championships.
However, no team has personified that emblematic sound quite like the Indiana squad.
Agile and effective, robust and persistent, the Indiana Hoosiers—indeed, the Indiana Hoosiers—are hurtling forward akin to a locomotive behind schedule for an encounter with fate, its whistle blaring as a caution to anything in its trajectory.
Indeed, following 139 seasons predominantly marked by lackluster Indiana football, what significance do an additional 10 days hold in their quest to emerge as the most captivating national champion witnessed to date?
It is conceivable that the national championship match on January 19 against Miami might unfold as something distinct from a Hoosier triumph. Yet, following Indiana’s dominant performance throughout the College Football Playoff, which encompassed a ruthless 56-22 victory over Oregon in the Peach Bowl, it is infrequent to witness a collegiate football team that radiates such an undeniable sense of impending victory.
“They possess comprehensive capabilities,” stated Oregon’s coach, Dan Lanning. “They execute numerous actions, and they do so with exceptional proficiency. Their game exhibits no vulnerabilities. They demonstrate strong rushing abilities, effectively halt opponents’ runs, exhibit skilled passing, defend against aerial attacks competently, and have excelled in special teams. Clearly, they harbor immense self-assurance, and rightfully so. They are genuinely formidable.”
Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza delivered a higher number of touchdown passes than incomplete throws when facing Oregon on Friday. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Kevin C. Cox via Getty Images)
Ultimately, Oregon appeared to lack any genuine prospect of victory.
During their previous encounter in mid-October, where Indiana secured a 30-20 away win at Autzen Stadium, the contest was sufficiently balanced to suggest the possibility of a thrilling return fixture.
However, it only required 11 seconds to grasp that Indiana’s football program had since transformed into an entirely distinct entity. It now functions as an instrument honed for detailed dismantling, a mechanism engineered for overwhelming opponents, unleashed with assurance and exactitude while its coach paces the sidelines bearing a perpetual air of displeasure.
From the initial snap, Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds—among several athletes who transitioned with coach Curt Cignetti from James Madison to Indiana two years prior—anticipated Oregon quarterback Dante Moore’s intentions, intercepted the pass, and returned it for a touchdown, activating the air horn for the opening time.
Indiana then repeated this feat an additional four times prior to halftime, each instance eroding Oregon’s confidence until it dissolved into unreality. When the teams retreated to their respective locker rooms, with the Hoosiers holding a 35-7 advantage, the sole comparable CFP semifinal performance in this venue was LSU’s 63-28 triumph against Oklahoma six years before.
Since that particular season, the 2019 LSU squad has maintained its status as the benchmark for contemporary college football supremacy, a team so uncompromising in its approach against adversaries that observers eventually recognized their opponents’ initial lack of opportunity.
Indiana stands on the precipice of seizing their championship with just one additional showing of this caliber.
Does the Miami team even possess a genuine prospect of prevailing?
“Many individuals [who expressed skepticism] genuinely lack understanding of our team,” Cignetti remarked. “They are unaware of our composition, what we possess, and I comprehend that. Significant doubt existed last year, labeling us as an anomaly. That specific team accomplished many commendable feats and initiated everything. We have merely expanded upon our achievements, secured notable victories away from home, and it is advantageous to have a quarterback perform optimally when the game’s outcome is uncertain in the final quarter. Consequently, as you can see, here we stand.”
Truly, they have arrived at this point.
On a player-by-player assessment, the Hurricanes will undoubtedly consider themselves the superior squad, citing recruitment standings, physical stature, and professional draft potential. However, Oregon and Alabama held similar convictions, both succumbing to the Hoosiers by a cumulative margin of 69 points in these playoffs.
For Indiana, the focus extends beyond quantifiable statistics. Throughout the entire season, the Hoosiers have operated as an unstoppable force of precision and resolve, challenging anyone who hesitated to accept that a team historically plagued by grievances and poor records could, almost instantaneously, transform into such an overwhelming powerhouse.
This marked the seventh occasion this season that Indiana had defeated an FBS adversary by a margin of 30 points or greater, and at each juncture, their desire for further accomplishment intensified. Securing the Big Ten championship by overcoming Ohio State, a first since 1967? Insufficient. A commanding victory in the Rose Bowl against Alabama? They anticipated this outcome well before its feasibility was recognized by others.
Even with the match against Oregon firmly under control during the fourth quarter, Indiana persisted in inflicting further setbacks. It was only following a concluding 24-yard touchdown dash by Kaelon Black, eliciting a faint smile from Cignetti with 5:14 remaining, that Indiana’s aggressive pursuit seemed temporarily appeased.
“Our fundamental principle involves an offensive approach,” Cignetti declared. “Our current standing is a direct consequence of our meticulous preparation, enabling us to confront challenges effectively and demonstrate our capabilities in actual play.”
Upon the game’s conclusion, it appeared to be the most routine of Indiana’s three significant postseason jubilees. This sentiment differed from the satisfaction of claiming the Big Ten title or the pure elation of relegating college football’s most celebrated franchise to a mere spectator in Pasadena. This specific occasion represented the prelude to the definitive event, one that seems destined to establish Indiana’s narrative as perhaps the most remarkable resurgence in American athletic history.
“I believe there’s no moment for celebration right now, as this is the ultimate aspiration for everyone,” Mendoza stated.
Presently, only a single match stands as the Indiana convoy progresses through Atlanta, speeding towards Miami at its highest velocity. Towards Terminus and far beyond.
