In a thrilling conclusion to an unforgettable journey, Indiana secured a place in college football history on Monday night. Fernando Mendoza’s decisive touchdown run proved pivotal as the Hoosiers defeated Miami 27-21 in Miami Gardens, Florida, capping off an undefeated season with a national championship win.

Although Mendoza, the Heisman Trophy recipient, threw for 186 yards, it was his relentless 12-yard touchdown run on a critical fourth-and-4 play with just over nine minutes remaining that truly defined the game and Indiana’s remarkable season.

The Hoosiers were unstoppable in their pursuit of victory.

“I had to go airborne,” Mendoza commented, reflecting on his gritty performance which left him with a split lip and a bloodied arm after facing Miami’s relentless defense. “I would die for my team.”

Mendoza’s touchdown extended Indiana’s lead to 24-14, providing just enough cushion to withstand a late surge from the Hurricanes. Miami, spearheaded by Mark Fletcher’s 112 rushing yards and two touchdowns, made a valiant second-half comeback but ultimately fell short of overtaking the lead.

The College Football Playoff trophy now heads to the most unlikely of places: Bloomington, Indiana – a campus that endured a nation-leading 713 losses over 130-plus years of football before Cignetti arrived two years ago to embark on a revival for the ages.

“Took some chances, found a way. Let me tell you: We won the national championship at Indiana University. It can be done,” Cignetti said.

Indiana finished 16-0 – using the extra games afforded by the expanded 12-team playoff to match a perfect-season win total last compiled by Yale in 1894.

In a fitting bit of symmetry, this undefeated title comes 50 years after Bob Knight’s basketball team went 32-0 to win it all in that state’s favorite sport.

That hasn’t happened since, and there’s already some thought that college football – in its evolving, money-soaked era – might not see a team like this again, either.

“Congratulations to Indiana,” said President Donald Trump, who was in attendance. “Turned out to be a great game. Two great teams, wonderful teams with a lot of talent.”

Players like Mendoza – a transfer from Cal who grew up just a few miles away from Miami’s campus, “The U” – certainly don’t come around often.

Two fourth-down gambles by Cignetti in the fourth quarter, after Fletcher’s second touchdown carved the Hurricanes’ deficit to three, put Mendoza in position to shine.

The first was a 19-yard-completion to Charlie Becker on a back-shoulder fade those guys have been perfecting all season. Four plays later came a decision and play that wins championships.

Cignetti sent his kicker out on fourth-and-4 from the 12, but quickly called his second timeout. The team huddled on the field and the coach drew up a quarterback draw, hoping the Hurricanes would be in a defense they had shown before.

“We rolled the dice and said, ‘They’re going to be in it again and they were,’” Cignetti said. “We blocked it well, he broke a tackle or two and got in the end zone.”

Not known as a run-first guy, Mendoza slipped one tackle, then took a hit and spun around. He kept his feet, then left them, going horizontal and stretching the ball out – a ready-made poster pic for a title run straight from the movies.

Maybe they’ll call it “Hoosiers.” This was a program so bad that a coach once stopped the game early to take a picture of the scoreboard when it read “Indiana 7, Ohio State 6.” The Hoosiers lost 47-7.

This year, though, they beat Ohio State in the Big Ten title game on their way to the top seed in the playoff.

They won their first two games by a combined score of 94-25 and Mendoza threw more touchdown passes (eight) than incompletions (five).

This one was nowhere near as easy.

Fletcher was a one-man force, hitting triple digits for the third time in four playoff games and turning a moribund offense into something much more.

His first touchdown run was a 57-yard burst through the right side that pulled Miami within 10-7 early in the third quarter.

But after forcing an Indiana punt deep into Miami territory, Hoosiers lineman Mikail Kamara slid past the ‘Canes’ protectors and blocked the kick. Isaiah Jones recovered to make it 17-7 and Miami was in comeback mode the rest of the way.

It ended as a one-score game, and the ‘Canes – the visiting team playing on their home field – moved into Indiana territory before Carson Beck’s heave got picked off by Jamari Sharpe, a Miami native who made sure the only miracle in this season would be Indiana’s.

“Did I think something like this was possible? Probably not,” Cignetti said. “But if you keep your nose down and keep working, anything is possible.”