For Indiana to finally get competitive in football, it took complete buy-in to compete with the big boys. A commitment from the university administration and the hiring of great coaches was a start, but the Hoosiers also needed the financial commitment from boosters to compete for the best available players.

Growing donations from boosters started last year, and it paid off with a school-record 11-2 season. It grew exponentially this year, and the Hoosiers are 14-0 and two wins away from the school's first football national championship.

There are hundreds of donors in the Indiana fan and alumni base, but none are more well-known that billionaire Mark Cuban, a 1981 Indiana graduate who's well known from his ''Shark Tank'' television series and his long-time ownership of the NBA's Dallas Mavericks.

He's donated millions to his alma mater through the years, and has helped with building Indiana's NIL efforts too.

This year, he's in even more than he was a year ago. With the 2026 transfer portal window open, Indiana has the funds to be very aggressive. They've gotten nine commitments from players already.

“Already committed for this portal,” Cuban told Front Office Sports in an email.  “Let’s just say they are happier this year than last year.” 

Cuban told Front Office Sports that he lets Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson decide what to do with the money, and didn’t say precisely how much he gave. Indiana has one of the highest NIL budgets in the country for football and men's basketball. 

Indiana hired Curt Cignetti two years ago and he has completely turned the program around overnight. He is 25-2 at Indiana and 17-1 in the Big Ten. He inherited a program that had lost more games than any team in the nation.

He is also the ONLY coach in Indiana's 130-year football history with a winning record in Big Ten games.

The Hoosiers are the No. 1 seed in the 12-team College Football Playoff. They got a bye in the first round and then beat No. 9 seed Alabama 38-3 in the quarterfinals last Thursday in the Rose Bowl at Pasadena, Calif. 

Indiana plays No. 5 seed Oregon on Friday night in Atlanta in a CFP semifinal game. Ole Miss plays Miami in the other game, which is Thursday night in Glendale, Arizona.

The championship game is Monday night, Jan. 19, at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla. 

VETERANS MAKE IT WORK FOR INDIANA: On both sides of the ball and at every level, Indiana has a bunch of fourth- and fifth-year players who have seen a lot on the football field. That experience allows them to practice well — and play even better. They play with confidence and swagger, even at a school with little history of success. READ MORE

LANNING RESPECTS INDIANA: Oregon coach Dan Lanning already has first-hand experience with playing No. 1-ranked Indiana. The Ducks had their shot in October but lost 30-20 in Eugene, their only loss of the year. They get a rematch on Friday in the College Football Playoff in Atlanta, and are looking for a different result. READ MORE 

EISEN SAYS INDIANA 'BULLIES OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL': Noted sportscaster Rich Eisen spent much of his podcast on Friday talking about the juggernaut Indiana football team. He said the Hoosiers are ''now the bullies of college football.'' Here are the highlights of his show, with a link to the 15-minute segment. READ MORE

TOM BREW COLUMN: Indiana played like the No. 1 team in the nation at the Rose Bowl Thursday, destroying Alabama 38-3 to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals. They whipped up on their opponent like Alabama's done to others for decades. This year's Indiana team is simply that good. They proved it again. READ MORE