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Indiana smacked Alabama so hard it finally got Curt Cignetti to flash a big smile
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- Indiana smacked Alabama so hard it finally got Curt Cignetti to flash a big smile
Indiana smacked Alabama so hard it finally got Curt Cignetti to flash a big smile appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .
An improbable season for No. 1 Indiana continues as they defeated Alabama 38-3 to win the Rose Bowl on Thursday. The victory was so extraordinary that it brought out something in head coach Curt Cignetti that few get the chance to see.
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He was seen smiling as the Hoosiers closed in on victory, according to ML Football.
It was the next step towards the clumination of a season of historic proportions. As a result, Indiana is now 13-0 and are slated to take on No. 5. Oregon in the Peach Bowl on Jan. 9.
Furthermore, the win makes the Hoosiers the absolute favorite to win the National Championship . The last time Indiana finished a football season unbeaten was in 1945, when it went 9-0-1.
When it comes to coaching, Cignetti is straight-laced, by-the-book, and no-nonsense. In other words, he has a chip on his shoulder and takes the game seriously. Therefore, doesn't show too much emotion.
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He's been referred to as a "cocky nerd. However, Thursday was the exception for obvious reasons.
In November 2023, Cignetti was hired as head coach. The following year, the Hoosiers started 10-0. Ultimately, they would finish at 11-2 before losing to Notre Dame 27-17 in the first round of the College Football Playoff .
Under Curt Cignetti, Indiana Football has reached extraordinary heights.
For decades, Indiana University has been synonymous with basketball. The names of Bobby Knight and Steve Alford resonate with Hoosiers, and every year there is an expectation of excellence on the hardwood.
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Who would have thought that the tables would turn and that same excellence would be exemplified on the gridiron?
QB Fernando Mendoza was rewarded with the Heisman Trophy, and Indiana Football was profiled on 60 Minutes. It all began with the hiring of Cignetti, and everything else started to trickle down.
Years ago, the late sports writer John Feinstein wrote the classic Season on the Brink about Indiana Basketball. If a book were to be written about 2025 Indiana Football, it would probably called the Dawn of a New Day with Coach Cignetti smiling on the cover.
Just a thought.
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