Indiana football is having a moment that once felt impossible. With an unbeaten record and a Heisman-winning QB, a program that was once known for heartbreak and low expectations is suddenly competing for a national championship title. As Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers get ready to bulldoze the Hurricanes, the spotlight has shifted to the people who have always backed the program, even when losing was the norm.

Superfans like Bill Murphy, supporters like Pat McAfee, and NIL backers like Mark Cuban show how far this program has come.

Who is Bill Murphy, and why is he considered a longtime Indiana Hoosiers superfan?

Bill Murphy, the 73-year-old Greenfield, Indiana, resident, has been an IU football season ticket holder for 66 years, an extraordinary commitment that includes decades without bowl games and 55 losing seasons. Even though the Hoosiers were often viewed as the worst program in FBS history, he “rarely missed a game.” Murphy grew up cheering for football in a basketball-first town, standing by a program that often gave fans little reason to hope.

The one moment that haunted him for nearly six decades was the 1968 Rose Bowl, Indiana’s only previous appearance before this season. Murphy was just 15, and his parents wouldn’t let him travel alone to California.

Top Stories

Josh Allen’s Bills Coach to Quietly Retire as Sean McDermott Addresses ‘Tough End’ After Broncos Loss

Troy Aikman Allegedly Forced Mike McDaniel’s Firing as $6.35 Billion NFL Team Rejects Ousted Dolphins Coach

Concern Mounts as Texans’ Plane Forced to Remain Airborne After Tough Playoff Loss to Patriots

Cam Skattebo Sends Expletive-Laced Message on Giants’ John Harbaugh Announcement

Ben Johnson Breaks Silence on Controversial Play Call After Disappointing Statement on Bears Loss

80-Year-Old Entertainment Icon Rejected From Winter Olympics Torchbearer List After Viral Comment

That game, with a 14–3 loss to O.J. Simpson’s USC, became the start of a bowl drought that stretched for a really long time.

“I told my wife, son, and daughter, I told them, ‘If I die before we go to the Rose Bowl again, I want you to take my urn and buy a program, buy a seat, and set the program and urn on the seat, and I’ll be there with you guys,’” he said.

Now, 58 years later, he finally gets to sit in that seat himself.

“Fortunately for me, I get to go this year and actually sit in a seat and see the game,” Murphy said. “I’m still pinching myself, trying to make sure I’m not dreaming.”

How has Pat McAfee shown support for Indiana football over the years?

Pat McAfee’s support for Indiana football has been loud and visible, especially when it mattered most. McAfee, a College GameDay mainstay and ESPN’s most energetic voice, used his platform to highlight Indiana’s supremacy during its postseason run, especially after the Hoosiers defeated Oregon 56–22 in the Peach Bowl. McAfee didn’t hold back when describing what he saw while standing inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

“I didn’t know if my microphone was amplifying it with my ears in or if that’s actually how loud it was,” said McAfee. “So I took my ears out. It got louder out here. And it was like, that was the loudest stadium I think I’ve ever been in. And I don’t want to sound like I’ve not been in a lot of great environments because you’re going to say Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Indiana Hoosiers.

It was 95 percent Hoosier fans. First play of the game, pick six – That was the loudest it’s been. I think that’s the loudest I’ve experienced.”

McAfee has long been tied to the state after playing eight seasons with the Indianapolis Colts. He still lives in Indiana, and the fact that his wife is an Indiana University alum makes his public support of the Hoosiers start to make a lot more sense.

How has Mark Cuban shown public support for Indiana Hoosiers athletics?

Mark Cuban’s support for Indiana football goes far beyond cheering from the stands. The billionaire entrepreneur and Indiana alum (Class of 1981) has invested millions into his alma mater over the years, including a $5 million donation in 2015 for a sports media center.

“After getting to talk to Cig and seeing what was going on,” Cuban said. “They kinda talked me into it.”

Since then, Cuban has become a major NIL donor, helping Indiana compete in the transfer portal and retain elite talent. And Cignetti has been blunt about what it takes to win now.

“It takes a village. It takes money,” Cignetti said Saturday. “But it’s not all about money. We’ve got a lot of alums, a lot of rich alums. Mark Cuban is a very visible guy. We kind of hit it off right off the bat. He’s got instant recognition, which only helps.”

Cuban watched Indiana dominate Oregon in person at the Peach Bowl and made it clear that reaching the title game isn’t enough.

“An appearance is fun. It’s been an amazing run,” Cuban said. “As someone who has lost (two) NBA Finals and won one, I can tell you losing hurts a lot more than winning is fun.”

That mindset reflects Indiana’s transformation, aiming only for championships.

Why do these Indiana Hoosiers superfans matter during the national championship run?

Superfans like Bill Murphy, voices like Pat McAfee, and backers like Mark Cuban matter because they represent belief across generations. Together, they embody why this run feels bigger than football.

They are the reason this run feels more significant than football when taken as a whole. This goes beyond a 15-0 record and  a Heisman QB; this is about validation for everyone who stayed in the lowest points

“People get excited because people like winners,” Murphy said. “(There are) not a tremendous amount of people like me that will go support their team win or lose, and I’ve seen a lot of losing football over the years.”

Now, as Indiana gears up for its first national championship, these lifelong supporters may finally get the most meaningful victory of all.