Curt Cignetti's Indiana Hoosiers stormed back to beat Nebraska on the road 20-17 in Week 6 action, extending an embarrassing streak for coach Matt Rhule's team. An unbelievable catch from a star Hoosiers wide receiver entertained fans as Cignetti watched from the sidelines, taking mental notes.
Cignetti, known for his brash attitude and confidence bordering on arrogance, was impressed with his team's willpower judging by postgame comments.
“You gotta have an indomitable will, man,” Cignetti said about his team. “A will that cannot be defeated or subdued. And ya gotta be resilient, you have the ability to overcome the unexpected, and that no matter how bad it gets, that you never let anxiety, frustration enter your mindset, that you're gonna find a way, it's just a matter of time.”
The Hoosiers fell behind 10-3 after a 10-yard Nyziah Hunter touchdown run in the first quarter. Huskers QB Anthony Coleandrea's 35-yard touchdown run gave Nebraska a 17-6 lead that set the stage for an epic Indiana comeback response.
Article Continues BelowHoosiers QB Josh Hoover hit former Michigan State star Nick Marsh for touchdown passes of 75 and 44 yards to give Indiana a 20-17 lead that ended up being the final score. Indiana, reliant on transfers throughout the highly successful Cignetti era so far, has a pair of good ones in Hoover (TCU) and Marsh.
Whether that will be enough to repeat as Big Ten and national champions remains to be seen, but Cignetti's team appears to have the firepower, and the spirit, to compete with an beat anyone in the country, a storyline worth watching throughout this season as their title defense continues.