The National Championship Game - Unbelieveable

If you would have told me that IU football would win a National Championship, I would have never believed it.  Even after we finished 10-2 and made it to the CFP last year, I wasn't sure that we would ever make it back.  At the beginning of this season, I would have just been happy to make it to a bowl game.  Tonight, however, the Hoosier football team that Doug and I had followed for the last forty years made the impossible happen beating Miami in one of the hardest fought games of the season finishing perfect at 16-0 and this year's National Champions.  Even as I watched the confetti fall and the trophy presentation happen, I still couldn't believe it.

While Cameron was sitting in the front row of Hard Rock Stadium, Doug and I were seated in our living room glued to our television.  Neither one of us were bummed to miss the game in person as we were both too nervous to watch it anywhere else.  We weren't the only ones watching the game on the edge of our seats as Meg, Cal, Maggie and Karen were all home as well.  Nick had to fly to Miami but arrived in time to catch the game from his hotel bar.  Only Brett opted out of watching from start to finish as he practiced piano for a good portion of the game secretly hoping that Coach Cignetti could pull off the improbable victory.

Although I hoped that the game would be as easy as the previous two with IU taking control early and winning by a large margin, in my heart, I knew that would not be the case.  Miami had several players on their defensive line that were first round NFL draft prospects, and they were playing at home.  In the end, I was correct as the game was challenging from start to finish.  Even when we took more than a one score lead, Miami would answer with a nice play on offense keeping the game close throughout.  Thankfully, an unbelievable touchdown run from Mendoza, a blocked punt that led to a touchdown and a perfectly timed interception in the last minute of the game put IU on top making this a season that none of the IU faithful and maybe even the rest of the college football world will ever forget.