This week, Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti raised some eyebrows when he made a bold claim about Indiana’s right to be part of the 12-team College Football Playoff, after a surprisingly impressive 11-1 season. That set a new mark for wins at the school, and earned the Hoosiers the 10th seed in the CFP.
“Look, there’s a lot of skeptics,” Cignetti said. “There are a lot of doubters, right? Haven’t beat a Top 25 team. Nebraska [was] 25th in the coaches poll, we beat their ass 56-7. I haven’t beat a Top 25 team? Coastal Carolina back when we were little James Madison moving up to the Sun Belt. They were 22nd that year. We beat them 47-7. We don’t just beat Top 25 teams, we beat the (expletive) out of them.”
Cignetti was taken to task on this claim–beating a Nebraska team that wound up 6-6 on the year and 3-6 in the Big Ten is no great shakes, and … Coastal Carolina?
And if there was anyone still making a credible case that the Hoosiers belong in the CFP this year, that case was pretty well destroyed by the end of the first half of Friday night’s playoff opener against Notre Dame in South Bend.
Indiana and quarterback Kurtis Rourke looked atrocious, failing to show the typical efficiency and power they rolled out throughout the year. Indiana trailed the FIghting Irish, 17-3, at halftime and were down even more, 27-3 late in the fourth quarter.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti
© Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
It was ugly enough to warrant a dramatic pitch from notable commentator Colin Cowherd.
He wrote on Twitter/X: “This entire playoff is experimental. Things will change. Potential reseeding after round one. It may expand to 14 games. Change is inevitable. But let’s make one non negotiable rule — Indiana can never be invited again.”
Indeed, no matter how many times Cignetti’s teams have beaten top foes in the past, it was clear that they were outclassed in the playoff against Notre Dame, just as they had been when they were drubbed by Ohio State, 38-13, back on Nov. 23. Perhaps it’s best if they stay away from future playoff scenarios.
