Curt Cignetti Gets Real On Hoosiers Resilience in Win Over USC Trojans

Here's what Indiana Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti said following his team's 27-13 home win over the No. 18 USC Trojans on Saturday.

Nov 14, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti walks off the field after their game against the Southern California Trojans at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Opportunities were squandered in crucial moments as the No. 18 USC Trojans College Football Playoff chances likely ended Saturday afternoon in Bloomington, falling 27-13 to the reigning national champions, the No. 9 Indiana Hoosiers. 

Hoosiers quarterback Grant Wilson connected with his star wide receiver and one of his most reliable targets, Charlie Becker, on a 42-yard reception with 3:30 remaining to put a dagger in the Trojans CFP aspirations. 

Nov 14, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers wide receiver Charlie Becker (80) celebrates his touchdown catch with wide receiver Tyler Morris (8) against the Southern California Trojans during the fourth quarter at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coach Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers made the game-changing plays, while the Trojans didn’t. Here’s what the Hoosiers coach said as Indiana improves to 9-1 and is in prime position to make the Big Ten championship in Indianapolis, Indiana, on Dec. 5 at Lucas Oil Stadium.  

Opening Statement

“Hard-fought game; give USC a lot of credit. It was a back-and-forth game; we made the plays in crunch time, and it's a good team win. Proud of our team,” Cignetti said.

Resilience of His Hoosiers Team 

Nov 14, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Grant Wilson (2) hands off to running back Khobie Martin (28) against the Southern California Trojans during the fourth quarter at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“Our guys have really come through in tight, close games. This one ended up being a two-score game; we made some plays at the end. I had a team like that my first year at Elon, where we won games two through nine, eight in a row, and they all went down to the final play. And we’ve had a lot of close games this year,” Cignetti said. 

“And I think it’s a mark of a team that’s got a lot of grit, competitive excellence, and can play when the game’s on the line. And that’s what this team has: competitive character, and we’ve had a lot of blowout wins around here in 24 and 25. Probably three times more blowout wins than close games, but we’ve had a lot of close games this year, and we always find a way,” Cignetti added. 

WIN $2KIN TICKETS

WIN $2KIN TICKETS

GET READY TO COMPETE

Pick your champion (you can change it later). We’ll email you when brackets open.

• Georgia
• Utah
• Alabama
• UCLA
• Notre Dame
• Texas
• Miami (FL)
• Tennessee
• Indiana
• BYU
• Kentucky
• Texas Tech

PREREGISTER TO PLAY

No purchase necessary. 50 U.S./D.C. 18+. Entry opens 3PM ET Dec 6, 2026 and closes 8PM ET Dec 18, 2026. Void where prohibited.See Official Rules for complete details. The College Football Playoff (CFP) is not a sponsor or administrator of this contest.

Possibly Moving Up in CFP Rankings

Nov 14, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Grant Wilson (2) walks off the field after their game against the Southern California Trojans at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“I haven’t seen a single score, and it really doesn’t matter who’s where. Tuesday, I guess, it would be, because it’s all going to play out on the field. There’s a lot of football left, and so I’m just proud of the team and the way we responded against a tough opponent. We had shot ourselves in the foot, had some memos in the first half, and came out and played a strong second half,” Cignetti said.

Isaiah Jones Red Zone Interception

“From my angle, you don’t get to see quite everything, but that was maybe a huge play of the night, and it reminded me of three or four other interceptions we’ve made defensively over the last three years or going back to the last 10 years. He’s a play-maker, and it was a key clutch play,” Cignetti said.   

What’s Next For USC Trojans? 

Nov 14, 2026; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti shakes hands with Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley after their game at Merchants Bank Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Robert Goddin-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the loss, the Trojans fall to 7-3 overall and 4-3 in Big Ten play, and to have any hope of miraculously earning a spot in the CFP, USC will need to win out with games remaining against the Maryland Terrapins (Nov. 21) and undefeated No. 4 UCLA Bruins (Nov. 28). 

The loss is also a new low for Trojans coach Lincoln Riley as he falls to 1-8 against AP Top 25 opponents during his USC tenure. After the loss, the Trojans' chances to win the Big Ten title now fall to +40000, per FanDuel Sportsbook betting odds.

The Trojans will kick off their Senior Day matchup against the Terrapins at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum at 3:15 p.m. PT, with the game broadcast on the Big Ten Network.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

Sign up to our free newsletter and follow us on Facebook, and X for the latest news.