IU football team gets ready to play Miami INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – The Indiana Hoosiers are about to make history, playing at the College Football Playoff National Championship for the first time. On Friday afternoon, buses pulled up at Indianapolis International Airport in a separate section for charter planes to allow the students privacy to board their flight to Miami. Come Monday, the players will be on the national stage, battling the Miami Hurricanes. Quarterback Fernando Mendoza, this season’s Heisman Trophy winner, flashed a smile as he stepped off the bus. Some teammates smiled and waved, while others had their serious game faces on. Even the United Airlines employees had big smiles welcoming the team and seeing them off. They, too, are excited. Indiana University is known for basketball, but this team has left a mark on the future of college football for the state. At the main terminal, an IU pop-up shop with hats, shirts and sweatshirts were on display Friday. IU alumna Tricia Hart was looking at the shirts. “I’m very excited. I’ve been waiting for this for 20 years. I’m so excited.” IU alumni are heading to Miami to root for their team. David Elser, who brought his whole family, is going to the game. “After 100 years of misery for IU to step up. … I’m really excited. I’m really excited to be in that crowd, to be in warmer weather than Indiana, and I’m really excited for Cignetti and Mendoza and the boys on the field to finish the job.” We spotted another IU alum who lives in Miami and just happened to be in Indianapolis. “It’s really exciting,” Rachel Bassan said. “I’m trash-talking all my coworkers. They all say ‘go ‘Canes’ and I keep throwing the ‘U’ and keep chanting ‘Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers.'” But Bassan said it’s not all hate between the Miami and Hoosiers. “The feeling in Miami isn’t anti-Indiana. I think there’s some hometown pride for Mendoza because he is a Miami boy and he shows a lot of Miami pride, so I think Miami is also excited and proud of him.” The team will fly back Tuesday and many Hoosiers hope they do so with the first CFP title of an Indiana team. The game vs. the Miami Hurricanes will start at 7:30 p.m. Monday. President Donald Trump announced Thursday he’ll be among fans at the game. More IU football coverage from WISHTV.com ...read more read less