Curt Cignetti Delivers Powerful Message After Indiana Wins First National Championsip

Curt Cignetti was finally overcome with emotion after Indiana won the championship.

Curt Cignetti has done what was once thought impossible. | Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated.

As Indiana stacked win after win in their undefeated 2025 season, head coach Curt Cignetti remained his typical stoic self.

Whether it was a clutch victory over Penn State, blowing out Alabama and Oregon in the College Football Playoffs or Indiana blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown in the national championship game, Cignetti offered little emotion toward Indiana’s remarkable accomplishments over the year.

Even after the Hoosiers officially became champions by defeating Miami 27-21 on Monday, when Cignetti did his postgame interview with ESPN’s Molly McGrath, he began speaking like he was doing a typical quick news hit, reviewing the plays that took place.

Cignetti told McGrath, “It took a lot to get here, but I’ll tell you what it took to come out ahead in this game was a lot of guts. I give Miami a lot of credit, they played really hard. We couldn’t get anything done on—couldn’t protect at all. Made a few plays on adjustment but they were back shoulders in a sprint out, got the run game going, made the interception when we had to, couple fourth down where we went for it, Mendoza great run. Took some chances, found a way.”

Midway through the interview though, Cignetti relented to his feelings, as the weight of accomplishments appeared to finally hit him. Going 16-0. Winning a national championship. Leading a team that was just recently the losingest program in FBS history to their first title in just two years on the job.

“Let me tell you, we won the national championship at Indiana University, it can be done,” Cignetti told McGrath. “I’m so happy for our fans. Words can’t describe it.”

"We won the national championship at Indiana University, it can be done."

Indiana Football head coach Curt Cignetti with @MollyAMcGrath after beating Miami 👏 pic.twitter.com/516Ccpe6RF

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) January 20, 2026

Cignetti reflected even more on his journey up on the podium as Indiana received the national championship trophy.

“What’s this moment like for me?” he said. “Back when I was waxing the staff table at IUP, Thanksgiving weekend and school was shut down for the playoffs, did I ever think something like this was possible? Probably not. But if you keep your nose down in life and keep working, anything is possible.”

"If you keep your nose down in life and keep working, anything is possible."

- Curt Cignetti pic.twitter.com/rSP4n5EFlD

— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) January 20, 2026

After capping off their season with a championship, Cignetti’s Hoosiers will go down as one of the greatest stories in sports history. And now, Cignetti can finally celebrate all of his achievements with a much-deserved beer.

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