Indiana's Curt Cignetti sends clear message about NFL interest

Jeff Hauser

Indiana's Curt Cignetti sends clear message about NFL interest image

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti brushed aside NFL speculation Saturday, making it clear his future remains firmly rooted in college football.

“I’m not an NFL guy,” Cignetti said when asked if he would consider a jump to the professional ranks. “I made that decision a long time ago. I’ve always been a college football guy.”

Despite Indiana’s rapid rise from afterthought to national contender, Cignetti’s daily schedule hasn’t changed. He still arrives at Memorial Stadium around 5 a.m. And stays late into the night breaking down film, long after the rest of the building has cleared out.

The results have been historic. After a 56-22 rout of No. 5 Oregon Ducks in the Peach Bowl, Cignetti now owns more wins in his first two seasons at a school than any coach in FBS history. Indiana is 26-2 under his watch entering Monday night’s College Football Playoff National Championship.

More: Indiana's Curt Cignetti spends an unhealthy amount of money at Chipotle

The Hoosiers are college football’s last unbeaten team and have beaten five opponents ranked in the top 10 at the time of the matchup, four of which remain top-10 victories. Indiana’s challenge this season, Cignetti has suggested, has been avoiding complacency after evolving from a Cinderella story in 2024 to a dominant force in 2025.

If No. 1 Indiana (15-0) defeats No. 10 Miami Hurricanes (13-2) on Monday, the Hoosiers would become the first team since Yale in 1894 to finish 16-0.

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Contributing Writer