(Miami) — There’s a movie about an underdog team overcoming the odds and winning a championship.

It’s called “Hoosiers”.

And the movie script has now come to real life on the gridiron.

A college football program that once led the nation in all-time losses has now completed the first 16-0 college football season since 1894, as Indiana defeated Miami (Fla.), 27-21, to win the College Football Playoff national championship at Hard Rock Stadium.

“Indiana won the national championship, it can be done,” exclaimed a jubilant Indiana coach Curt Cignetti as confetti fell on him and and the field.  “What got it done is guts.”

Indeed, the Hoosiers had to scrap and claw and get contributions from every facet of the team to get the victory, clinching it with an interception from Jamari Shape with 51 seconds remaining.

The Hoosiers dominated the first half, allowing Miami just 69 yards of offense while building a 10-0 lead. Tight end Riley Nowakowski lined up at fullback and ran in from one-yard out for the only touchdown of the half.

Mark Fletcher, Jr. put the ‘Canes on the board early in the third with a 57-yard touchdown sprint to narrow the gap to 10-7, but Indiana’s special teams responded. Mikail Kamara blocked a punt into the end zone and Aiden Fisher recovered it for the touchdown to put the Hoosiers up 17-7.

“I see blood in the water, and shot my shot,” said Kamara. “I heard that double thud and knew it was over. It’s been amazing.”

Miami used another Fletcher TD to close within 17-14. Indiana drove to the Miami 12 and faced a 4th-and-5. Cignetti called a quarterback draw, and Mendoza took a battering on his way to diving into the end zone to make it 24-14.

“They were in a perfect coverage the play before for the call,” said Cignetti. “We put the play in this week. It’s a quarterback draw, but we blocked it differently.”

Miami went down the field quickly, with two big passes to dynamic receiver Malachi Toney, the second one a 22-yard touchdown with 6:32 remaining.

Indiana embarked on an 11-play drive that took nearly five minutes off the clock, but had to settle for Nico Radicic’s second field goal of the night to make it 27-21.

The Hurricanes appeared to have one more drive in them, but Carson Beck’s deep ball for Keelon Marion was pilfered by Sharpe and the Hollywood ending was written.

“it’s incredible, but when you got the right people, anything’s possible,” said Cignetti. “What a gutty game. I give Miami a lot of credit. They played hard. We made one more play.

“Did I think this was possible when I was waxing tables on Thanksgiving weekend at IUP (Indiana University Pennsylvania) with no one around? Probably not. But if you put your nose down and keep grinding anything can happen.”

And that’s just what these Hoosiers did. Indiana now owns the last undefeated season in both men’s college basketball (1976) and college football (2026).  They become the first first-time college football national champion since Florida in 1996.