Here’s a bold statement: Indiana football’s die-hard fans are a rare breed, and their unwavering loyalty might just be the most inspiring part of this historic run. But here’s where it gets controversial—while Indiana basketball has long reigned supreme in the hearts of fans, could this football renaissance be rewriting the script? Let’s dive in.
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Let’s be honest: finding an Indiana fan who cares more about football than men’s basketball is like searching for a needle in a haystack. Outside of former players, this counterculture might barely fill a small room. And this is the part most people miss—there’s a tiny but passionate group that’s always cared about both equally. Sam Story estimates this exclusive club numbers around 12,000 to 15,000—and that’s before Curt Cignetti transformed Indiana football from a punching bag into a powerhouse reminiscent of 1986 Mike Tyson. This two-year turnaround is nothing short of miraculous, culminating in Monday’s championship showdown against Miami.
‘This feels like a reward for all the years of frustration,’ says Story, a 2006 Indiana graduate whose family’s loyalty to the program dates back to his grandmother’s days as an undergrad in the 1940s. ‘I’ve seen the absolute rock bottom. It was like a barren desert, where nothing could thrive.’
Now, Indiana football is a fountain of crimson-and-cream joy, and the celebration shows no signs of stopping. But here’s the question: out of an alumni base of 805,000, how many can truly say they stuck around during the darkest days? And how many of today’s fans are simply riding the wave?
As Will Leitch recently wrote (https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6964127/2026/01/13/indiana-football-fans-national-championship/), Indiana’s fan base has exploded into a ‘Greek chorus’ that’s impossible to ignore. This brings up the age-old debate about ‘bandwagon fans.’ Purdue fans, still reeling from this surreal turnaround, are likely throwing the term around liberally. But here’s a counterpoint—isn’t every major sports fan base guilty of swelling and shrinking based on success? Think of it like the ketchup industry: Alabama, Ohio State, and Georgia are the Heinz of college football, while Indiana was once the expired sauerkraut no one wanted.
Take Elizabeth and Sam Story, for example. They’ve been to every College Football Playoff game this season and will be front and center in Miami on Monday night. Their dedication runs deep—Sam’s family has held the same season tickets since the 1970s, and he was even named after Sam Wyche, who coached Indiana to a 3-8 record in 1983. ‘My parents liked the name,’ Story jokes. ‘But I hope they didn’t like the results. Back then, 3-8 felt like a win.’
While family tradition played a role, Story’s passion became his own in eighth grade, watching Antwaan Randle El’s electrifying debut against Western Michigan in 1998. ‘I fell hard,’ he admits. ‘It’s like catching a virus.’ The thrill of one player’s greatness hooked him, turning those long drives from Carmel to Bloomington into something more than just an obligation.
Indiana football’s journey is reminiscent of the ‘lovable losers’ Chicago Cubs—except even the Cubs had teams that came close to winning it all. Indiana football? They never had a chance. Until now. The closest comparison might be Northwestern’s 1995 turnaround, but even that pales in comparison to what Indiana has achieved under Cignetti.
Story’s family will be in Miami, sweet seats in hand, thanks to years of loyalty and donations to Indiana’s NIL efforts. Their two young sons will experience their second game ever—a 56-7 rout of Nebraska. ‘This bug has been expensive,’ Story laughs. ‘I’ve lost hair, money, and sleep. But it’s worth every moment.’
His estimate of 12,000 to 15,000 diehards comes from a particularly brutal loss to Purdue in his childhood. That’s how many fans stayed until the bitter end. By the time Cignetti arrived, the number might have grown to 20,000, thanks to modest successes under Tom Allen and Kevin Wilson. Now, Indiana fans are taking over stadiums, even outnumbering Miami fans in their own backyard.
Take my friend Buck Reising, a 2015 graduate and Nashville sports radio host. He was at the semifinal game in Atlanta—his first Indiana football game ever. Basketball? He’s the guy in the banana suit celebrating Christian Watford’s buzzer-beater against Kentucky in 2011. Football? He and his friends tailgated in ‘Game time is nap time’ shirts, living up to the slogan. But here’s the real question—if you had to choose one program to dominate for the next 20 years, while the other fades into obscurity, which would it be?
Reising, predictably, chose basketball: ‘Less interesting nationally, but it’s in my DNA.’ Story pauses, ‘Oh my God… if you write this, let everyone know I had a long pause. But growing up in Indiana, basketball is just who we are.’
So, here’s the ultimate question for all 804,000 alums and millions of fans: Football or basketball? Which would you choose? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments—no holding back!
