Curt Cignetti Knows Ohio State has a Problem Indiana Must Solve

The Hoosiers coach praised the Buckeyes’ talent and coaching, then identified the matchup challenge Indiana must contain in Bloomington.

Oct 10, 2026; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks into the stadium before the game against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Curt Cignetti knows the challenge waiting for the Indiana Hoosiers. Ahead of Saturday’s top five matchup in Bloomington, the head coach called Ohio State “a great football team” with “a lot of great players” and praised Ryan Day, the coordinators and the position coaches.

Then he singled out the Buckeyes’ biggest matchup problem.

“They got a wow player,” Cignetti said of Jeremiah Smith. “That’s the only really word to describe him that I can think of.”

Cignetti said Ohio State’s star receiver has “taken it up a notch” and has nine touchdown catches over his last three Power Four games. “There is no one like him right now playing at this level,” he said, before adding, “He’s a freak, and we’re going to have to do a great job on him.” On the season Smith has 916 yards and 11 touchdowns and has seemingly propelled himself into front-runner status for the Heisman Trophy.

Cignetti Sees a Fix Indiana Must Make

The Hoosiers are 6-0, but their escape at Nebraska exposed a problem Ohio State can test. Indiana converted just one third against the Cornhuskers.

That blunt assessment gives Ohio State’s defense a clear target: make Indiana earn its way down the field and avoid giving the Hoosiers easy opportunities to keep drives alive.

“You’re not going to win many games doing that,” Cignetti said. Indiana also went 1-for-1 on fourth down, leaving it 2-for-10 on third and fourth downs combined. Cignetti noted that a team can still win despite poor third-down numbers, but added, “If you’re good on third down, it sure helps.” 

Cignetti was also asked about the winning-streak history surrounding the game. He brushed it aside.

“Both teams are going in, in my mind, 0-0,” he said. “All that other stuff is just noise and clutter.”

He did make one direct request of the Indiana fanbase while sounding the alarm on how he expects Ohio State fans to make their presence felt. Cignetti stressed that the Hoosiers need their home crowd involved and making things difficult for the Buckeyes.

“Our crowds have been awesome,” he said. “They need to be loud. Real loud.”

Overall, Cignetti’s message to the Buckeyes was clear. He knows matching up with Jeremiah Smith presents a rare challenge, but he also believes the home crowd can make Memorial Stadium a difficult place to play. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. ET from Bloomington on Saturday. The game will air on FOX.