The Indiana Hoosiers authored college football’s ultimate turnaround. Curt Cignetti took the team from a 3-9 record in 2023 to a 16-0 undefeated run in 2025. Their first national championship win over Miami demanded a citywide celebration. But the weather gods had other plans, and Bloomington’s 80,000 couldn’t fully answer the call.

“Views from the field ahead of #iufb’s championship celebration,” wrote IU Sports Media analyst Colin McMahon. “Small, but loud crowd as it feels like 0 degrees here at Memorial Stadium.”

The Memorial Stadium has a capacity of 53,534. However, given the images going around on social media, most of the stands went empty. 

The National Weather Service dropped a winter storm warning on Jan. 23, set to kick in at 7 p.m. on Jan. 24 and stretch through 7 a.m. on Jan. 26. With travel conditions expected to worsen, officials urged residents to carry extra food, water, and a flashlight in case of emergencies.

But Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers turned Saturday, January 24, into a celebration. With temperatures barely cracking 10 degrees, subzero wind chills, and a looming foot of snow, they took the stage to celebrate their emotional moment after their first perfect 16-0 run in more than a century.

Cignetti was spotted wearing a white Hoosiers cap. However, the cold could not dampen his spirit. As per the reports from WTHR.com, Cignetti and Co. expected more than 40,000 people to attend the Championship Celebration. But due to the dangerously cold conditions, approximately 15,000 fans filled Memorial Stadium on Saturday, as per IndyStar’s reports. 

However, Curt Cignetti had made it clear to rev up the fans’ spirits with his fiery speech.

“Chapter 3 begins tomorrow!” said the head coach.

Rock band AC/DC’s “Thunderstruck” tried to boost the energy of the crowd who turned up. Fireworks lit up the night sky as Cignetti and his squad took center stage to soak in the cheers and hoist their trophies. Just before 1 p.m., the Indiana Marching Hundred hit the field, trying to heat a crowd braving near-zero wind chills. Hot drinks in hand, faces behind balaclavas, and Indiana gear layered top to bottom, fans fought the cold in style.

For those who turned up for Cignetti and the Hoosiers, Indiana’s athletic director took them on a ride down memory lane.

The day when Curt Cignetti said ‘yes’ to Indiana

Back in November 2023, Indiana made a tough call by firing Tom Allen after he went 33-49 across seven seasons. Scott Dolson, along with the Indiana University president, was working to find someone to fill the role of head coach. In that period, Dolson thought of picking up the phone and dialing Cignetti’s number.

“Two years ago, on a Wednesday night about 10:15, I called Curt Cignetti on the phone, and I said, ‘Coach, you’re gonna be the next head football coach at Indiana University, and we’re gonna top the world,'” recalled the athletic director. “And there was a pause. And he said, ‘You’re blankety-blank right we are going to, Scott, let’s go!'”

From day one, Cignetti signed up for the monumental challenge: taking the losingest program in college football and transforming it into a national championship powerhouse. And surely winning the national championship has never been his ultimate goal. 

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As per On3’s list, Indiana stands at the top after the transfer portal by hauling in 17 transfers and losing only ten. When it comes to the 2027 class, they have a lot to catch up on. Curt Cignetti has wasted no time, zeroing in on 5-star 2027 wideout Monshun Sales, a player Alabama currently has ranked as their top target.