Curt Cignetti, Indiana taking aim at another playoff appearance after 63-10 drubbing of Illinois

Illinois was supposed to be "This year's Indiana." 

Well, No. 19 Indiana clearly took exception to that. The Hoosiers routed No. 9 Illinois 63-10 at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, in a game that was already over at halftime.

As usual, NBC sideline reporter Kathryn Tapper teed up Indiana coach Curt Cignetti walking into the locker room.

"What more do you want to see from your offense?" Tappen asked. 

"More points," Cignetti deadpanned.

The Hoosiers (4-0, 1-0, Big Ten) led 35-10 at that point, and an ever larger point was indeed made as the game continued.

Indiana is still this year's Indiana. Cignetti is still last year's Cignetti.

Indiana remains very Googleable heading into a Week 5 road test at Iowa, led by the Kirk Ferentz, who is the Big Ten's all-time leader with 207 wins. The Hoosiers now have a chance to continue in their effort to overthrow the old-school, buttoned-up Big Ten establishment. 

That's the Cignetti effect. 

Indiana scores prime-time blowout against Illinois

Perhaps the greatest testament to what Cignetti, now 15-2 at Indiana, has built in Year 2 is an environment where the matchup against Illinois (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) was the prime-time Big Ten game in Week 4 ahead of No. 21 Michigan at Nebraska – two all-time bluebloods. 

Indiana opened the scoring when cornerback D'Angelo Ponds blocked a punt then recovered it for a quick touchdown. Star QB Fernando Mendoza carved up the Illini's experienced defense by hitting 15 of 17 passes for 220 yards and four TDs in the first half.

The Cal transfer hit four different receivers for TDs in the first half, and finished 21 of 23 for 267 yards and five TDs. Basically, he was flawless.

Cignetti got his wish for more points in the second half. Kaelon Black scored a 40-yard TD run on the first possession of the third quarter to extend the lead to 42-10 with 11:38 left in the third quarter. 

Cignetti did not let up. That running game – which averaged 307.7 yards per game through three weeks – finished with 312 yards. Khobie Martin had 11 carries for 102 yards and two TDs. 

The defense had seven sacks and 10 tackles for loss and limited Illinois to 161 total yards. Tyrique Tucker and Mario Landino had two sacks each. Indiana is better than the team that went 11-1 and reached the College Football Playoff ahead of a trio of three-loss SEC teams in Alabama, Ole Miss and South Carolina last season. 

The Illini – a 10-win team from last year with playoff hopes under Bret Bielema, were clearly left wondering if they'll still be ranked in the AP Top 25 this week.

MORE: Meet Fernando Mendoza, CFB's newest, biggest star

Curt Cignetti keeps winning at Indiana his way 

It all started with "Google me."

Cignetti is 67-11 between James Madison and Indiana – with a 34-6 record the last three seasons in the FBS. It's not just that he wins – it's that he does it with bravado that isn't supposed to exist in places like Bloomington, Ind. In fact, it hasn't existed there since Bob Knight – "The General" himself – did it on the basketball court. 

The Hoosiers' non-conference schedule continues to be questioned. Indiana beat Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Kennesaw State by a combined score of 156-23 – a weak non-conference schedule that leaves room for those doubts heading into the Big Ten. When will Cignetti beat a top-10 team?

Well, that happened Saturday. Maybe it does not totally erase last year's blowout losses to Ohio State and Notre Dame – teams that played in the CFP championship game who beat the Hoosiers by an average of 21.5 points – but it did announce to the rest of the Big Ten that last year was not a fluke. 

MORE: Who could replace Fickell if Wisconsin makes a move?

Will Indiana make the College Football Playoff again? 

Indiana will be the fourth-highest ranked team in the AP Poll behind No. 1 Ohio State, No. 2 Penn State and No. 6 Oregon when the Week 5 AP Poll comes out Sunday. That will be higher than Michigan and No. 25 USC. 

That is what makes the trip to Iowa so intriguing. It's the first of three pivotal road games for Indiana, the other two coming against No. 6 Oregon (Oct. 11) and No. 2 Penn State (Nov. 8). Michigan and Ohio State aren't on the schedule. Iowa is in that Big Ten middle class with Nebraska and Wisconsin in the 18-team Big Ten.

Can Indiana rise above the middle of the pack, for good?

That is what still might be at stake from a perception standpoint. 

Indiana remaining schedule

It is another opportunity for Indiana to stay in the College Football Playoff race until the end, and not everybody will like that — certainly not in SEC country. Who knew the coach at Indiana could have that effect? 

It sounds a lot like last year, after all.