If you’re a sports fan in the Circle City, 2025 didn’t just take you on a ride; it strapped you into a rollercoaster, blindfolded you and sent you careening through the highest peaks of euphoria and the deepest valleys of heartbreak.
From the roar of Lucas Oil Stadium on a historic February night to the hushed silence of a city when a superstar went down, this year had it all. We hosted the world’s most significant events, crowned unlikely champions and watched dynasties nearly crumble.
As we close the book on a chaotic, unforgettable 12 months, let’s look back at the moments that defined Indiana sports in 2025.
The highs
1. Hoosier Hysteria Revived: IU wins Big Ten title/Mendoza wins Heisman
Let’s start with the miracle in Bloomington. For decades, Indiana University football was the punchline of the Big Ten. In 2025, they became the haymaker. Under the guidance of Curt Cignetti and the arm of transfer quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the Hoosiers didn’t just compete; they dominated.
The crescendo came on Dec. 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium. Facing the juggernaut Ohio State Buckeyes for the Big Ten Championship, IU did the unthinkable. Mendoza, who would go on to lift the Heisman Trophy days later, orchestrated a game-winning drive that sealed a 13-0 record and the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff. It wasn’t just a win; it was an exorcism of decades of mediocrity.
2. Indy: The new epicenter of sports
If 2024 was the appetizer, 2025 was the main course for Indianapolis as a host city. It started in the dead of winter when WWE’s Royal Rumble took over Lucas Oil Stadium on Feb. 1. It was the first Rumble held outside of January, and the energy was electric — literally and figuratively.
Then came the summer heat. The WNBA All-Star Game arrived in July, turning the city into a celebration of women’s basketball culture. We saw the best in the world shine at Gainbridge, proving once again that Indy is the true capital of basketball.
And we didn’t stop there. In September, the launch of TEDSports at the Old National Centre drew the world’s boldest thinkers to our doorstep, exploring the intersection of athletics and technology. For a calendar year, the road to the sports world went directly through Meridian Street.
3. Jonathan Taylor’s historic run
While the Colts’ season had its tragic notes (more on that later), running back Jonathan Taylor was a symphony of violence and speed. Taylor didn’t just run; he rewrote the record books. Putting the team on his back week after week, he reminded the league that the running back position is far from dead. In an era of air-raid offenses, Taylor was the ground-and-pound truth.
4. The renaissance of Crispus Attucks football
We have to give flowers to the Tigers. Crispus Attucks, a program rich in history but often overlooked on the gridiron, put the city on notice this season. Coming off a strong 7-win campaign in 2024, the Tigers leveled up in 2025. While they fell just short of a state title, their grit and dominance energized the Near Westside and proved that Attucks is building a legitimate football powerhouse.
The lows
1. The Pacers’ NBA Finals Heartbreak
This one still hurts to pen. The Indiana Pacers gave us a magical spring, fighting their way to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2000. The city was vibrating. We could taste the Larry O’Brien trophy.
However, the basketball gods are cruel, fickle and unforgiving.
In a devastating turn of events, Tyrese Haliburton — the engine, the heart, the smile of this franchise — went down with an injury that sucked the air out of an entire fanbase. Watching the team fight valiantly but ultimately fall to the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games without their captain was a gut punch that will linger for a long time. They proved they belonged, but the “what-ifs” will haunt us all winter.
2. Fever falls just short
The Indiana Fever mirrored their NBA counterparts with a season of “almost.” Caitlin Clark, who missed most of the regular season and playoffs, watched her teammates Kelsey Mitchell and Aliyah Boston excel, dragging an injury-riddled Fever squad to the brink of a WNBA Finals appearance.
But the Las Vegas Aces, a dynasty in their own right, proved to be one hurdle too high. Losing in five games in the semifinals to the eventual champions isn’t a failure, but when you’re that close to the mountaintop, the slide down feels twice as long.
3. The tragedy of Daniel Jones
The Indianapolis Colts took a gamble on Daniel Jones, and for half a season, it looked like genius. Jones was playing MVP-caliber football, silencing critics and looking like the franchise quarterback we’ve been searching for since No. 12 retired. The connection with Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs was clicking.
Then came the snap that changed everything. A season-ending injury cut Jones’ redemption arc short, derailing what looked like a Super Bowl-contending season. It was a cruel reminder of how fragile hope can be in the NFL. Despite Taylor’s heroics, the offense just wasn’t the same without “Danny Dimes” under center.
Oh. We also pulled Phillip Rivers out of retirement and put him back under center at age 44. That was pretty cool.
Final thoughts
2025 taught us that sports give with one hand and take with the other. We celebrated a Heisman trophy and global events, but we also nursed the wounds of lost championships and fallen stars.
But here’s the thing about Indiana sports fans: We don’t stay down. We tape up our ankles, check the schedule and get ready for the next tip-off. With the HBCU All-Star game and more college basketball than we can count coming in April 2026, I have a feeling the best is yet to come.
See you in the bleachers.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846 or email at noralp@indyrecorder.com.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
