13 JMU Transfers Help Indiana Reach National Title Game
A group of 13 players who followed their coach from James Madison University to Indiana transformed the most losing program in college football history into a national championship contender in just two years. On Monday night, the Hoosiers face Miami for the title with their unlikely core leading the charge.
When coach Curt Cignetti left James Madison for Indiana in November 2023, tight end Zach Horton thought maybe five or six teammates might follow. He never imagined 13 players would make the leap from the Sun Belt to the Big Ten.
That group of transfers has pulled off something nobody saw coming. They helped lift Indiana from college football's biggest underdog to a national championship contender in just two seasons.
The journey started with uncertainty. Even after entering the transfer portal, the JMU players didn't know if they'd all end up at Indiana together.
"None of us went into the transfer portal with, 'We're all going to Indiana,'" said defensive lineman James Carpenter. Playing for a program known as college football's losingest didn't have immediate appeal.
But the players trusted Cignetti. He had given them chances when bigger programs said no, and led James Madison to an 11-1 record in 2023.
Four players visited Indiana's campus together on Christmas Eve 2023. The commitments started rolling in, and by spring 2024, all 13 had made the move to Bloomington.
Why This Inspires
The JMU transfers didn't just show up and play. They became cultural leaders who taught their new teammates how to win.
They explained Cignetti's tough love approach and emphasized attention to detail. If a workout started at 6 a.m., they showed up at 5:45.
The results speak for themselves. Cornerback D'Angelo Ponds opened Indiana's playoff semifinal win against Oregon with a pick-six. Wide receiver Elijah Sarratt has four touchdown catches in three postseason games. Linebacker Aiden Fisher anchors a defense that ranks second nationally in most major categories.
Several players jumped from All-Sun Belt honors to All-Big Ten and even All-American status. They've provided some of Indiana's biggest moments this season.
"Them dudes are built the right way," said defensive ends coach Buddha Williams. "From the ground up, they've taken control, and this is the result you get."
On Monday night at Hard Rock Stadium, Indiana faces Miami for the national championship. The Hoosiers enter as the most surprising title favorite in generations.
The players call themselves "a bunch of misfits" and "FCS recruits." Running back Jailin Walker, who was part of the original group, calls them "The Avengers, the special 13, that made it work."
They proved that believing in each other and following the right leader can create magic nobody expected.
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Based on reporting by ESPN
This story was written by BrightWire based on verified news reports.
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