Indiana’s blowout Rose Bowl win over Alabama didn’t just send the Hoosiers to the College Football Playoff semifinals. It also unlocked one of the most powerful contract clauses in college athletics.
The victory officially triggered a “good faith market review” provision in Curt Cignetti’s contract, putting the Indiana coach in line for at least a $1 million raise following a mandatory offseason meeting with university leadership.
Cignetti currently earns $11.6 million per year under an eight-year extension finalized in October. That deal requires Indiana to conduct a market review whenever the program reaches the CFP semifinals — a benchmark the Hoosiers hit Thursday with their dominant win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in Pasadena.
The clause mandates that Indiana adjust Cignetti’s salary to no less than the third-highest annual salary among active CFP-eligible head coaches. At the current time, Ohio State's Ryan Day holds that spot at $12.5 million annually, meaning Indiana would need to increase Cignetti’s pay by roughly $1 million to remain compliant.
If the school declines to offer a top-three salary by annual value, Cignetti would be free to leave without owing any portion of his $15 million buyout, according to the term sheet reviewed by Front Office Sports.
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The agreement requires both sides to meet within 120 days after Indiana’s playoff run concludes and also accounts for future CFP expansion. If necessary, the contract allows for a nonbinding independent valuation expert to help establish fair market value.
Cignetti’s rise has mirrored Indiana’s rapid transformation. He was hired two years ago at $4.5 million annually and received raises to $8 million and then $11.6 million as the Hoosiers surged into national relevance. His current deal briefly placed him among college football’s highest-paid coaches before Lane Kiffin reset the market with a $91 million contract at LSU Tigers.
Indiana’s contract language also forces regular reviews of assistant coach pay and program support, signaling the school’s long-term commitment to sustaining its football breakthrough.
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