MIAMI — Indiana football held its final practice of the 2025 season Saturday at Florida International University’s football practice facility in Miami.
Reporters were permitted to observe just a 15-minute portion of practice. However, ESPN’s Holly Rowe, who will serve as a sideline reporter for the College Football Playoff National Championship game Monday, watched much of the Hoosiers’ practice in preparation for the television broadcast.
Then, after the practice concluded Saturday evening, Rowe posted a video as she exited the facility. She said some Hoosiers were sentimental about their final practice in an Indiana uniform, as they hugged and expressed their gratitude for one another nearly 48 hours before the season’s final game.
Rowe said it was evident how close-knit the Cream and Crimson are — something Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti reaffirmed during a press conference Sunday. However, for all the dominance in the CFP and 15 total victories this season, there’s still a task for the Hoosiers to complete against the No. 10 University of Miami at 7:30 p.m. Monday.
So, Cignetti ripped a page out of legendary head coach Nick Saban’s playbook.
“I think leading up to this game, there's been a lot of pro-Indiana hype, a lot of rat poison out there,” Cignetti said.
Saban often explained during press conferences that the media fed his team rat poison. Instead of listening and paying attention to any of the positive publicity, Saban wanted Crimson Tide teams to hear only his messaging.
Cignetti wants the same from his Hoosiers. He said he’s witnessed “quite a bit of sentimentalism” throughout the week from some seniors who’ve spent several years under Cignetti and his staff.
But all the historic wins Indiana has attained en route to its first appearance in the title game are irrelevant in the chase to reach the college football mountaintop. The Hurricanes are all that stand in the way of the Hoosiers reaching college football immortality Monday night inside Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida.
“I think it's time to sharpen the saw now, throw those warm fuzzies out the door, that sentimentalism,” Cignetti said. “It's time to go play a game against a great opponent.”
Cignetti has long said he stalks complacency. He never wants any individual within the program to feel satisfied with what they’ve accomplished. The Hoosiers have already finished 15 chapters in their book that is the 2025 season.
There’s another that’s yet to be written.
Miami has earned three victories throughout its CFP run to a title game in its home stadium. The Hurricanes didn’t have to fly to the site of the contest as they did the past three games.
Cignetti said he’s not sure that having to face a team that’s playing in their own stadium is much of a motivator. Instead, it’s a fact. There’s “a lot on the line,” he said, between the Hoosiers and Hurricanes on Monday.
“That's it,” Cignetti said, “plain and simple."
But for the Hoosiers’ final chapter in their season to match the previous 15, Cignetti said his program must have a “sharp edge” going into its first CFP National Championship game.
“You don't go to war with warm milk and cookies,” Cignetti said.
Follow reporters Dalton James (@DaltonMJames and jamesdm@iu.edu) and Conor Banks (@Conorbanks06 and conbanks@iu.edu) and columnist Quinn Richards (@Quinn_richa and qmrichar@iu.edu) for updates throughout the Indiana football season.
