WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Two years ago next week, the then-newest Big Ten football hire made a trip to Indianapolis to talk to a panel on the Big Ten Network prior to the championship game between Michigan and Purdue.
Curt Cignetti joined Dave Revsine, Nicole Auerbach and Gerry DiNardo at the desk for his first interview as the 30th head coach in Indiana football history. At the end of the interview, Cignetti introduced himself to the Big Ten with a proclamation that many initially mocked.
“I thought I should make this trip here since we’re going to play this game next year,” he said.
Although he had a year off, Cignetti’s crystal ball prediction proved true as No. 2 Indiana punched its ticket to next week’s Big Ten championship game with a 56-3 victory over rival Purdue on Friday night.
The only thing that overshadowed the berth was the Hoosiers’ first undefeated season in program history. Their impeccable record makes them just the fifth Big Ten team since 2000 to go a perfect 12-0 and the first since Michigan in 2023.
“It’s a great night for Indiana, for our fan base, our alumni, our loyal supporters, everyone who cares about Indiana,” Cignetti said afterward. “This is something that a lot of people probably thought couldn’t happen, and it just goes to show that if you have a commitment and a plan, and if you have the right people, anything is possible.”
Indiana entered rivalry week with firm control over its own destiny. There were no scenarios where the Hoosiers needed help from the other programs to play in next week’s game. All it took was a victory on a bitterly cold night in West Lafayette against the enemy upstate.
The crimson Indiana jerseys and winter hats stood out throughout the stadium. Angrily, Ross-Ade covered up as Purdue took the field, as chants of “Hoo Hoo Hoo Hoosiers” drowned out the PA announcer after Indiana scored.
As the clock ticked, Boilermaker fans flocked to the exits, leaving only a sea of red in the stands. Chants of “12-and-0” serenaded the team as they headed to the postgame in the locker room. High fives abounded, and conversations ended with a joyful “See you in Indianapolis.”
“It’s awesome,” senior linebacker Aiden Fisher said. “Our fans travel extremely well, and I think we pretty much took over the stadium tonight. This game and this rivalry means a lot to former players, alumni, fans, everyone involved in Indiana football.”
The meaning of the game extended far beyond the boundaries of the field.
Two years ago, fans watched on the same field as Tom Allen’s program capped another terrible season with a loss to Purdue. Interest in football was low, and after a brief surge in 2020, it seemed destined to become just another bridge to basketball.
Cignetti’s turnaround from the losingest program in the history of the sport to national dominance has taken the country by storm. His teams have gone 23-2 in his first two seasons and have defeated their state rival 122-3 in two games.
The accurate national coach of the year does not get all the success to his name. Sometimes he will deflect the praise to his assistant coaches or his players. But he believes most of the credit goes to university President Pam Whitten and athletic director Scott Dolson. They promised significant financial support to the football program when he was hired in 2023.
“I am deeply grateful to President Pam Whitten and Scott Dolson for their leadership and support in making this possible,” he said. “Because it takes commitment to make this possible.”
Cignetti revealed that the team lit victory cigars in the locker room and took a moment to appreciate the magnitude of what they had accomplished.
“That’s absolute,” Cignetti said. “Regardless of what happens from here on out, this team will always be the first team in Indiana history to go undefeated in the regular season.”
Indiana became the first team to secure a spot in Indianapolis and now must wait to learn its opponent. Whoever advances will face Cignetti and his red-hot Hoosiers.
More than 700 days later, Cignetti will lead his team onto the field at Lucas Oil Stadium, with a second-straight berth in the College Football Playoff secured and a first-round bye within reach.
Nothing seems to worry the Pittsburgh native – except one small detail: his prediction was off by a year.
“We’re a year late,” he said after the game, with his patented grin and a wink.
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