Curt Cignetti admits big challenge ahead of Indiana Hoosiers after CFP title run

The Indiana Hoosiers head coach, Curt Cignetti, finally allowed himself a moment to acknowledge what his program has become and what comes next after guiding the mighty Hoosiers to a historic College Football Playoff national championship.

Following Indiana’s 27-21 victory over Miami Hurricanes in the CFP final, Cignetti spoke candidly about the shifting identity of a school long known for basketball dominance and football futility. Addressing the magnitude of the moment, he laid out the challenge awaiting Indiana now that the Hoosiers sit on top of the sport.

“We’re national champions,” said Cignetti, via On3’s Brett McMurphy. “I know Indiana’s history was pretty poor w/some good years sprinkled in there. It was a basketball school. Emphasis is on football now. Have to be good in football now.”

The comment captured the reality of Indiana’s transformation. For decades, the Hoosiers were defined by losses, the most in FBS history, before Cignetti arrived, promising immediate results. Two seasons later, Indiana stands alone as a 16-0 national champion, something no major college football team had accomplished since 1894.

Cignetti’s path to the title was built through calculated transfer portal moves, NIL investment, and a demanding culture that reshaped expectations overnight. The Hoosiers not only climbed to a No. 1 ranking for the first time in program history but finished the job in front of 67,227 fans at Hard Rock Stadium, many of them wearing cream and crimson.

Historically, Cignetti also etched his name alongside elite company, becoming the first coach since Gene Chizik in 2010 to win a national championship in his first or second season at a school.

True to his old-school reputation, emotion was sparse throughout the game. He barely reacted to a blocked punt touchdown by Mikail Kamara and showed only brief celebration when Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza extended Indiana’s lead late. Even after Miami’s final interception sealed the win, Cignetti remained locked in until the clock expired.

Only then did he allow himself a release, sprinting onto the field and pointing skyward as confetti fell. Despite outside speculation about potential career moves, Cignetti made it clear that the celebration would be brief and the grind would resume almost immediately. “We’ll take the day off tomorrow, get back at it Wednesday,” said Curt Cignetti, via On3’s Andy Staples.

With the first title secured, Indiana’s next challenge is clear — sustaining excellence. And under Cignetti, the Hoosiers are already preparing to prove this run was only the beginning.

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