Get to Know MSU's Opponent's HC, Curt Cignetti

Michigan State fans already know Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti well, but he has taken things to another level this season.

Michigan State's head coach Jonathan Smith, left, talks with Indiana's head coach Curt Cignetti before the game on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Michigan State travels to Bloomington to take on the No. 3 Indiana Hoosiers on Saturday. 

Not many Spartan fans are excited for this game, as few in Spartan Nation expect this game to go well for MSU. If they think it will, they are probably lying to themselves. 

Indiana looks like a well-oiled machine again this season, just a year after reaching its first College Football Playoff appearance in program history. Despite losing lots of talent to the NFL, the Hoosiers have reloaded and have been a force to be reckoned with. 

That is because of head coach Curt Cignetti, who Spartan fans are retroactively wishing MSU had hired in 2023 instead of Jonathan Smith. Cignetti has turned one of the worst programs in college football history into a powerhouse in less than two seasons. 

Curt Cignetti vs. MSU

Nov 2, 2024; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti contests a call in the first quarter that resulted in a Michigan State Spartans touchdown at Spartan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Young-Imagn Images | Dale Young-Imagn Images

Coming from James Madison, Cignetti did not lie when he said, “I win, Google me,” in his introductory press conference. He has a 17-2 record in his first two seasons with the Hoosiers, as the team has dominated almost everyone it has played. 

The Hoosiers are coming off a road victory against the Oregon Ducks. Winning at Autzen Stadium is not easy, but the Hoosiers went toe-to-toe with them and emerged victorious against one of the best programs in the country. 

Indiana is sound on both sides of the football, as it can create explosive plays on offense while also maintaining drives if necessary. The defense creates immense pressure and also shows exotic coverages that confuse quarterbacks. 

Cignetti is 1-0 as a head coach against Michigan State, dominating the Spartans in East Lansing last November, 47-10. MSU scored the first 10 points of the game, but Indiana took control after that moment, and the blowout ensued. 

Indiana might be better than it was last season, as the team might have upgraded at quarterback and retained several key offensive players. Experienced linebacker Aiden Fisher leads the way for one of the best defenses in college football. 

Given the current state of the MSU football program, most fans are quite discouraged about where things are heading, and they are not looking forward to how this game might go down. 

Indiana should take care of business as Cignetti continues his siege on college football.

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