SI

A Stoic Curt Cignetti Finally Cracked a Smile During Indiana’s Rout of Oregon

It happened. For real.

Tom Dierberger

Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers are heading to the national championship game.
Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers are heading to the national championship game. / Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
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Curt Cignetti was at it again Friday night.

During No. 1 Indiana’s 56–22 rout of No. 5 Oregon on Friday night in the Peach Bowl to advance to the College Football Playoff national championship game, Cignetti was his stoic self throughout. No matter how many points the Hoosiers scored or punts they blocked or turnovers they forced, the 64-year-old coach looked displeased on the sideline—just like he has all year.

Early in the fourth quarter with Indiana leading 42–15, the Hoosiers blocked a punt and recovered the football at Oregon’s 7-yard line. But it wasn’t time for a smile just yet.

There was too much time left. A 27-point lead early in the fourth quarter wasn’t enough for the coach to let loose. Three plays later, Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza fired a three-yard pass to Elijah Sarratt for a 49–15 lead.

Indiana would turn Oregon over on downs on the next possession, and five plays later Kaelon Black ran for a 23-yard touchdown to make the score 55–15 before the extra point. And finally—for perhaps the first time all year but certainly for the first time in the College Football Playoff—Cignetti cracked a smile.

He’s looking forward to cracking open something else later Friday night, too.

“I’m really not thinking about the next game,” Cignetti said to ESPN sideline reporter Molly McGrath after the game. “I’m thinking about cracking open a beer.”

What a night.

Just over two years after he was hired by Indiana—the losingest program in college football history—Cignetti and the Hoosiers are one win away from a national championship.

And that’s worth smiling about.

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Tom Dierberger
TOM DIERBERGER

Tom Dierberger is a staff writer and editor on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in November 2023 after stints at FOX Sports, Bally Sports and NBC Sports. Dierberger has a bachelor's in communication from St. John's University. In his spare time, he can be seen throwing out his arm while playing fetch with his dog, Walter B. Boy.

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