The Indiana Hoosiers, college football’s newest national champions, were welcomed to the White House yesterday, for a South Lawn celebration that put their title run on full display. Head coach Curt Cignetti led a travel squad of players and staff to Washington for the ceremony, while Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza stayed behind, choosing to remain with his new NFL team. The visit comes after months of victory laps following Indiana’s win over Miami in January for the College Football Playoff crown.
Hoosiers Get the South Lawn Treatment
Video released by the White House shows President Donald Trump greeting the Hoosiers, offering remarks and sharing the stage with Cignetti and his players on the South Lawn. The clip, posted on the official White House site, runs more than 40 minutes and includes the formal ceremony, the traditional team photo session and brief exchanges with reporters.
Wire Photos Capture Trump, Cignetti and Vance
AP photographers were on hand for the event, and their images quickly made the national rounds. Pictures distributed by the wire service show President Trump alongside Cignetti and several players, with wide receiver Charlie Becker and defensive back Jamari Sharpe getting some of the spotlight next to their coach. Vice President J.D. Vance is also visible in the shots, waving as Trump speaks. As reported by Fox59, those AP photos framed much of the early coverage of Indiana’s day in D.C.
Mendoza Stays Locked In With Raiders
One very notable Hoosier was missing from the White House lineup. Fernando Mendoza, the Heisman-winning quarterback and No. 1 overall pick in April’s NFL Draft by the Las Vegas Raiders, remained with his new team. Mendoza has been taking part in rookie activities in Las Vegas and had already signaled he might pass on the Washington trip if it overlapped with the start of OTAs. “As a rookie, I can't miss practice,” he told reporters, according to Sports Illustrated.
Focus Shifts Back to Bloomington
Back in Bloomington, the celebration is giving way to preparation. Cignetti, now entering his third season, has already taken Indiana to the College Football Playoff in each of his first two years, and the program is pivoting toward defending its new title. Indiana’s athletics site lists the 2026 season opener for Sept. 5, when the Hoosiers will host North Texas at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. According to Indiana Athletics, the team will move into full preparation mode for the fall while current players balance summer workouts on campus and, for recent stars, offseason obligations with NFL clubs.
