‘I Took A Minute And Googled Him’: Marcus Freeman Learns About Curt Cignetti Before Playoff Matchup

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has become known for his “Google me” quote from December 2023, before he set a program record for wins. Going into the College Football Playoff, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman used Cignetti’s message to get to know his first-round opponent.

Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman on the sideline against Florida State. / Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

Despite being in-state foes, Indiana and Notre Dame rarely meet on the football field.

The last matchup was in 1991, a 49-27 Notre Dame victory. Before that? 1958. 

The Hoosiers and Fighting Irish will become more familiar with each other in the coming years, beginning with a first-round College Football Playoff game on Dec. 20 at 8 p.m. ET at Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend, Ind. The schools also have an agreement to play a home-and-home series on Aug. 31, 2030, in South Bend and on Sept. 27, 2031, in Bloomington.

But when the playoff bracket was announced Sunday, Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman started his preparation by establishing some baseline knowledge of the Hoosiers. 

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti has become known for a quote from December 2023, before the Hoosiers set a program record with 11 wins. When asked how he’ll mesh incoming recruits with returners and sell his vision for the program’s culture, he kept his response short.

“It’s pretty simple,” Cignetti said. “I win. Google me.”

Freeman took his advice heading into their playoff matchup.

“Coach has done a wonderful job to take this program to win 11 games in a Big Ten season. And to have this team ready to make a run in the playoffs, it’s a credit to coach. I didn’t know much about him. I took a minute and Googled him and looked at some of the things he’s done in the past at his other places,” Freeman said. “He’s won everywhere he’s been. So he’s done a great job, we expect a great opponent. I just briefly started looking at them. They’re a talented team that really takes care of the football. They play complementary football. Their defense is a pressure, attacking defense that really makes you earn everything you got.”

WATCH: #NDFootball coach Marcus Freeman on @IndianaFootball coach Curt “Google Me” Cignetti: “I took a minute and Googled him.” @CFBPlayoff pic.twitter.com/CxTipmkqbk

— Mike BerardinoNDI (@MikeBerardino) December 8, 2024

After an early look, Freeman also knows Notre Dame must be mindful of Indiana’s passing attack. That’s led by quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who ranks first nationally in ESPN’s passer rating at 181.4. He has a variety of reliable targets as five Hoosiers have at least 300 receiving yards, led by Elijah Sarratt with 890 and eight touchdowns. 

“The stats show that [Indiana’s] offense is extremely – done a really good job in the passing game and the passing attack,” Freeman said. “So it’ll be a great opportunity for us to come up with a good plan and go compete on Friday.”

Freeman’s name has also recently popped up as a potential candidate for the Chicago Bears head coaching job, though he’s focused on trying to win a national championship with Notre Dame

“With team success comes individual success,” Freeman said. “But [the Bears job] is nothing that has took any of my attention away from preparing for these playoffs.

Related stories on Indiana football

• INDIANA PLAYS NOTRE DAME: Indiana plays Notre Dame in the College Football Playoff. CLICK HERE.

• TODD'S TAKE: Notre Dame is a dream matchup for Indiana in the College Football Playoff. CLICK HERE.

• HOOSIERS FUELED BY DISRESPECT: Indiana has a coach who feels slighted by the College Football Playoff committee and a group of players who’ve been overlooked throughout their careers. They’re using that to fuel their playoff run. CLICK HERE

• INDIANA WANTS TO LEARN ROAD LESSONS: After losing by 23 at Ohio State, Indiana wants to apply lessons learned in playoff game at Notre Dame. CLICK HERE.

• MEET THE OPPONENT: Everything you need to know about Indiana's opponent in the College Football Playoff - Notre Dame. CLICK HERE.

• EARLY LINE: Indiana will be the underdog in a game for just the second time this season. CLICK HERE.

• WHAT CIGNETTI SAID: What Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti said after the College Football Playoff bracket was announced. CLICK HERE.