Would Curt Cignetti Leave Indiana If Penn State Comes Calling?

Somehow, just three days removed from the single greatest triumph in program history, Indiana’s win at Oregon isn’t the topic dominating the conversation for the Hoosiers.

Indiana fans can’t exactly bask in the glory of their squad walking into Autzen Stadium, snapping an 18-game home win streak for the Ducks, and subsequently earning the highest AP ranking Bloomington has ever seen on Sunday (checked in at No. 3).

Unfortunately, there’s a “what if?” gnawing at the mind of every Indiana faithful: is Curt Cignetti – the superhuman that has single-handedly put together the best turnaround college football has ever seen in just two short seasons – here to stay?

Could Indiana’s Curt Cignetti Be on Penn State’s Shortlist?

Aside from Indiana taking down Oregon in Eugene on Saturday, the other can’t-miss news of the weekend also came from the Big Ten. After Penn State fell in its third straight game – this one a shocking home loss to lowly Northwestern – long-time head coach James Franklin was fired.

Breaking: Penn State has fired HC James Franklin, per @PeteThamel

He has been in Happy Valley since 2014 pic.twitter.com/Du0qBVYFIx
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) October 12, 2025

A true blueblood of college football, Penn State has the resources and pedigree to hunt – and land – the top talent in the nation. And, after what Cignetti has accomplished in such a short time, he’s been a name – if not the name – to watch in the Nittany Lions’ head coach search.

And, according to a recent report from On 3, Cignetti is, in fact, a target for Penn State.

Our sixth win of the year, in cinematic form. pic.twitter.com/cKzuZYoInc
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) October 13, 2025

Would Cignetti leave for Happy Valley?

In reality, who could fault a coach for seeking a better opportunity? Leveling up and being adequately rewarded for the quality of your work is the goal of everyone in our society – and especially for a fierce competitor such as Cignetti.

But, what is “better” in this scenario? And isn’t Cignetti already doing and getting exactly what he wants?

Obviously, it goes without saying: Penn State has, historically, a night-and-day better football program than Indiana in every single quantifiable aspect.

Yet, at this exact moment, Indiana is sitting atop the college football mountain. Based purely on its 2025 resume, Indiana is indisputably the best team in the country.

James Franklin is out as the Penn State head football coach. What’s his legacy, what’s next, and who are five coaches who should be on the replacement short list?https://t.co/cVBVngi2hR
— College Football News (@ColFootballNews) October 12, 2025

Whether the Hoosiers actually deserve the No. 1 ranking is an argument for another day, but, on paper, they have clearly been the top overall squad in the sport.

The moment that has embodied Cignetti since his arrival is that unforgettable, viral exchange with the media, in which he famously said: “I win. Google me.”

Since Day One, that has appeared to be Cignetti’s lone aspiration and task: win football games. And he’s done just that.

So what could actually lure him away? A LOT of money. Short of that ...

Sure, regardless of the amount of Ws Cignetti’s troops rattle off, he may never be able to match the recruiting capabilities of a Penn State, Ohio State or Michigan – especially given Indiana is, and forever will be, a basketball school. But does he need to?

He’s made it abundantly clear he’s not interested in the amount of “stars” a recruit has. Cignetti even seems to prefer the process of developing a player to fit his mold, rather than work with a potentially tapped-out, inflexible product.

“I’ve never been into [recruiting] Stars… the evaluation is extremely important. You find the guy who’s got the right stuff, good habits, and wants to be great—you develop them.”

- Curt Cignetti pic.twitter.com/o1SDNWoSfc
— Coach Dan Casey (@CoachDanCasey) October 13, 2025

And he’s certainly proven he can win despite a lack of traditional blue-chip recruits or transfer additions. Shockingly, 247 Sports’ Team Talent Composite tabs Indiana’s roster as the 72nd-most talented team in the country out of 134 FBS teams. That number ranks dead last in the Big Ten.

Yet here we are.

Indiana is undefeated, and hasn’t just taken down two top-10 opponents six games into its season, but the Hoosiers have also knocked off both of those teams by double digits.

The first of which was a 53-point drubbing of then-No. 9 Illinois – which was the true coming-out party – and the second of which was that aforementioned statement win in Eugene that cemented Indiana as a national title contender and Cignetti as the elite head man in the sport.

At the end of the day, Penn State can come after Cignetti with everything it has got – and certainly should. But, at the end of the day, if we’ve learned one thing about Cignetti since Bloomington was first introduced to him in late November of 2023, it’s this:

All he cares about is winning.

And that is all Indiana has done.

So - again, short of a whopper of an offer - as long as the Hoosiers keep piling up the victories, there’s absolutely no reason to believe Cignetti will bolt for greener pastures. Indiana’s yard is already as green as it gets.