College football fans were treated to one of the greatest stories ever told in the sport this season. It concluded with an unexpected national championship and the first 16-0 season since 1894. The Indiana Hoosiers, once known as perennial basement dwellers in the Big Ten Conference, saw their program go 27-2 over the last two seasons all thanks to the leadership of head coach Curt Cignetti.
He brought an army of transfers... from James Madison, and conquered the NCAA with zero five-star recruits. The odds were so insurmountable absolutely nobody gave the Hoosiers a snowball's chance in hell to make it back to the College Football Playoff let alone win the whole thing in two seasons.
Now, the focus will turn to two things: Can Indiana go back-to-back or will another unlikely contender emerge from the depths of the sport?
3 CFB teams that could be the next Indiana
College football is changing and the landscape that's forming as a result of the transfer portal and NIL money has fostered the environment of parity that bred Indiana's unexpected rise. Here's where fans should keep their eyes trained for the next potential underdog story.
Virginia Tech (3-9 in 2025)
With the arrival of new head coach James Franklin from Penn State, the Hokies are slated to have a Top 25 team entering the 2026 season thanks to his transfer portal wizardry (No. 5 class per On3). Virginia Tech hasn't won nine games since 2017 and has not participated in a New Year's Six bowl since 2011.
It's probably not going to happen overnight like Indiana but don't be surprised if Franklin has the Hokies winning 10 or more contests right away, especially in a vulnerable ACC. Despite Miami's national championship appearance, the conference is going to be looking for a new leader. Franklin couldn't cut it in the Big Ten but perhaps he could capitalize on the opportunity to dominate a lower conference and use it as a catapult to the CFP.
Oklahoma State (1-11 in 2025)
Head coach Eric Morris nearly got his previous program, North Texas, into the CFP before landing the gig in Stillwater. Now he's got the reins to a Big 12 program with a history of football prowess and resources to reboot the program.
The Cowboys last won 10 games in 2023 but couldn't quite crack the CFP or national championship conversation during the 21-season long tenure of Mike Gundy. With a Top 20 transfer portal class, Morris could get Oklahoma State back into the Big 12 mix in 2026 and from there anything is possible with the right star power.
Minnesota (8-5 in 2025)
While the Golden Gophers haven't necessarily been a doormat or anywhere near the level of bad Indiana was prior to the Cignetti era, they haven't really risen to a championship caliber. Their best season under head coach P.J. Fleck was in 2019 when Minnesota went 11-2 but missed out on the Big Ten Championship due to a tiebreaker.
With the right transfer class and an injection of resources, don't be surprised to see this Big Ten footnote emerge like Indiana did and make a run in the near future. Fleck knows how to rally a locker room around his leadership which is an invaluable resource when the talent is present. The Gophers really are one elite quarterback away from turning things all the way around in Minneapolis.