2025 National Champion Indiana Hoosiers Football Team Visits The White House

The 2025 national champion Indiana Hoosiers football team visited the White House on May 11, 2026, to commemorate the program’s first-ever national championship. The visit is part of a long-standing tradition where championship-winning teams from professional and collegiate sports are honored at the presidential residence.

The Hoosiers concluded the 2025 college football season with a perfect 16-0 record. The undefeated campaign culminated on January 19, 2026, when Indiana defeated the Miami Hurricanes with a score of 27-21 in the College Football Playoff national championship game held at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.

A central figure in the championship run was quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who earned the Heisman Trophy. Mendoza secured the victory for Indiana on January 19, 2026, by leading a late-game touchdown run.

Following the collegiate success, Mendoza became the first overall selection in the NFL draft in April 2026, joining the Las Vegas Raiders.

Head Coach Curt Cignetti was also expected to attend the White House visit. Since leading the program to its first title, Cignetti has maintained a low profile, declining various speaking engagements to focus on preparing the team for what he has described as Chapter 3.

The only exception to Cignetti’s limited public appearances was his role as the honorary Pace Car driver for the 110th Indianapolis 500.

The visit comes as President Donald Trump continues efforts to save college sports. The president previously welcomed several other NCAA collegiate champions to the White House in April 2026.

The tradition of honoring national champions at the White House often includes formal ceremonies on the South Lawn. For example, during a visit in 2025, the Ohio State Buckeyes’ captains presented President Donald Trump with a No. 47 jersey and a helmet signed by the 2024 team.

Indiana’s trip to Washington D.C. Occurred shortly after the team completed its spring football schedule. The university sought to include as many players from the 2025 championship roster as possible, despite many of them now being located across the country following the NFL draft.

While the White House visit is a standard honor for national champions, it is frequently paired with visits to Capitol Hill, though it was not confirmed if the Hoosiers’ itinerary included a trip to Congress.