Indiana’s Curt Cignetti reveals hilarious 1st priority before preparing for Miami

Indiana Hoosiers’ historic College Football Playoff run reached another unforgettable milestone, and head coach Curt Cignetti made sure to enjoy the moment at least briefly. After the Hoosiers dismantled Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks 56-22 in the Peach Bowl to punch their ticket to the national championship game, Cignetti delivered a postgame punchline that instantly went viral.

While speaking with ESPN’s sideline reporter Molly McGrath on the field at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, Cignetti was asked about turning the page toward Indiana’s upcoming title matchup against Miami. Instead of launching into coach-speak, he offered a brutally honest and humorous response.

“I’m really not thinking about the next game. I’m thinking about cracking open a beer,” Cignetti said, via Barstool Sports.

“I’m not really thinking about the next game, I’m thinking about cracking open a beer”

Someone get Curt Cignetti a brewpic.twitter.com/8mrFKRc71W

— Barstool Sports (@barstoolsports) January 10, 2026

The comment came moments after Indiana completed one of the most dominant performances in College Football Playoff history, overwhelming Oregon from the opening quarter and never letting up. With confetti falling and the Hoosiers celebrating a program-defining win, Cignetti allowed himself a rare moment of levity.

The lighthearted quote stood out precisely because it contrasted so sharply with Cignetti’s reputation. Known for his meticulous preparation and no-nonsense demeanor, the 64-year-old coach has built Indiana into an unbeaten juggernaut almost overnight. When he arrived, the Hoosiers were widely viewed as the most downtrodden program in the FBS. Now, they’re 15-0 and one win away from a national title.

Cignetti’s resume makes the moment even sweeter. He entered the Peach Bowl with a staggering 25-2 record at Indiana, having already engineered one of the fastest turnarounds college football has ever seen. His path to this stage was anything but conventional grinding through Division II, building James Madison into a powerhouse, and developing overlooked players into elite contributors rather than relying on five-star depth charts.

That approach was on full display against Oregon. Indiana dominated all phases, controlling the line of scrimmage, forcing mistakes into scores, and turning the semifinal into a rout long before halftime. The performance only fueled comparisons to some of the greatest teams in modern college football history, albeit built in a very different era defined by NIL deals and the transfer portal.

Despite the viral moment, there’s little doubt Cignetti’s focus will quickly snap back to business. Indiana now prepares to face the ruthless Miami Hurricanes in the national championship game on January 19 at Hard Rock Stadium.

But for one night, after a 56-22 statement win and a ticket to the title game secured, Curt Cignetti most certainly earned that beer, and Indiana football fans wouldn’t have it any other way.

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