Indiana football\u2019s historic season was full of memorable moments.<\/p>\n
The Hoosiers captured their first-ever national championship and became the first team since the 1890s to finish 16-0.\u00a0The Daily Hoosier\u00a0has compiled our list of the top 10 plays and moments from IU\u2019s march to the title. If you missed any previous posts in this series, check them out at the links below.<\/p>\n
Honorable mentions<\/a><\/p>\n No. 10: Special teams sends Memorial Stadium into pandemonium against Illinois<\/a><\/p>\n No. 9: Indiana doesn\u2019t budge at the Rose Bowl<\/a><\/p>\n No. 8: Mikail Kamara steps up in the National Championship Game<\/a><\/p>\n No. 7: \u201cCHARLIE B.! FROM NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE!\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n No. 6: A moment of magic at Iowa<\/a><\/p>\n No. 5: A mighty response at Oregon<\/a><\/p>\n No. 4: \u2018The drive\u2019 and \u2018the catch\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n No. 3: Setting the tone in Atlanta<\/a><\/p>\n No. 2: Sharpe secures the title<\/a><\/p>\n No. 1: Mendoza magic<\/p>\n Was there any doubt which play would be No. 1 on our list?<\/p>\n Indiana\u2019s offense drove downfield on a huge possession early in the fourth quarter, following a Miami touchdown on the first play of the quarter. The Hurricanes remained close in the game, trailing just 17-14 after that score.<\/p>\n The Hoosiers converted on a critical fourth down during the drive, from Miami\u2019s 37-yard line, on a big play by Charlie Becker that put them in the red zone. But IU would face another fourth down on the next series, prompting Curt Cignetti to take Indiana\u2019s second timeout.<\/p>\n He\u2019d originally sent Nico Radicic and the field goal unit on the field, but he had second thoughts.<\/p>\n Cignetti screamed from the sideline, \u201cWe\u2019re going for it!\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n The rest, as they say, is history.<\/p>\n Fernando Mendoza dropped back for a moment before taking off, needing four yards to pick up a first down. But he got more than just four yards. IU\u2019s offensive line paved a path for its quarterback to get near the 5-yard line. Then, Mendoza showed his toughness, barreling through multiple Miami defenders, and diving across the goal line for a touchdown.<\/p>\n \u201cThat particular play didn\u2019t feel really good about kicking a field goal there. The play before they were in the coverage for the quarterback draw, which we put in specifically in the medium package in the low red against that look. We had to block a little different than we normally do, and that was about a 45-minute discussion in the staff room how we were going to call it and do it,\u201d Cignetti said after the game. \u201cLine did a great job executing, so did the back, and Fernando trucked the linebacker, broke a few tackles.\u201d<\/p>\n