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Livid Curt Cignetti Given Sideline Warning After Screaming at Refs in Indiana-Oregon

Cignetti may have protested a perceived missed call a little too much.
Tim Capurso|
Cignetti was not pleased after he thought the officials missed a holding call on Oregon in the second quarter.
Cignetti was not pleased after he thought the officials missed a holding call on Oregon in the second quarter. | Screengrab Twitter @CBSSportsCFB

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Indiana HoosiersOregon Ducks

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti lost his cool during the first half of his program's game against Oregon on Saturday.

On a third-and-1 from the Indiana 34-yard line in the second quarter, Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza, looking for wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, sailed a pass down the sideline. As Sarratt attempted to corral the pass, Oregon defensive back Brandon Finney Jr. made contact with the Hoosiers wideout before he broke up the pass, leading some—including Cignetti—to believe that Finney Jr. should have been flagged for holding.

But no flag was thrown, leading to a fourth-and-1—and an absolutely furious Cignetti screaming in the face of an official.

But Cignetti appeared to have gone too far in the eyes of the officials, as the Indiana coach was given a sideline warning. Fortunately for the Hoosiers, Cignetti's warning included no penalty yardage, as the CBS broadcast crew indicated that it could have.

Cignetti was still fuming when it was time for his halftime interview with CBS's Jenny Dell.

When Dell asked whether Cignetti showing emotion was intentional even though he had preached composure to his team, Cignetti responded, "What do you think?"

When pressed to answer, Cignetti said, "Yeah, you can't let that go," referring to the call he believed the officials missed.

In perfect Cignetti fashion, he then shared a message for his team.

"We gotta quit jumping offsides, we gotta do a better job of stopping the run," Cignetti said. "We gotta quit laying on the ground on defense and coming back the next play. And we gotta play better."

Never change, coach.

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Tim Capurso
TIM CAPURSO

Tim Capurso is a staff writer for Sports Illustrated, primarily covering MLB, college football and college basketball. Before joining SI in November 2023, Capurso worked at RotoBaller and ClutchPoints and is a graduate of Assumption University. When he's not working, he can be found at the gym, reading a book or enjoying a good hike. A resident of New York, Capurso openly wonders if the Giants will ever be a winning football team again.

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