The expectations of the Indiana Hoosiers fan base have skyrocketed in recent years after Curt Cignetti took the program to the College Football Playoff in its first year and won the national championship with his second. Some Indiana fans were evidently frustrated with a slow start against Western Kentucky in Week 3. The Hoosiers and winless Hilltoppers were scoreless in the first quarter before Indiana scored two touchdowns in the second quarter.
IU pulled away in the third quarter by scoring 17 points before winning the contest 38-0. On Thursday night, Cignetti had a strong lecture for IU fans who were displeased by his team's start against Western Kentucky, reminding the fan base that there wasn't a large turnout at games before he started assimilating wins. More News: Exclusive: Breakout NFL Executives Who Could Become Future General Managers More News: 4 QBs Generating Serious Trade Buzz Weeks Before NFL Regular Season Starts "What are we, 29-2?" Cignetti said, via On3.
"When I came, I saw the pictures, 10,000 people in the stands. Don’t (expletive) about a 38-0 win." Cignetti is off by a win. He's 30-2 overall and 17-1 in Big Ten play.
It's human nature for people to start comparing the 2026 Hoosiers to the team that won the national championship in January. Last year, IU was rolling over teams at the beginning of the season. This year, it might take more time for the Hoosiers to jell.
No. 5 Indiana will host a 2-0 Northwestern program on Friday night. He cautioned fans that Northwestern could be an up-and-coming Big Ten program much like the Hoosiers were two seasons ago. Two years ago, nobody believed we were a good football team.
Same deal.” The Hoosiers will be easier to evaluate when they start playing ranked competition. The Hoosiers won't play a ranked team until they host No. 7 Ohio State on Oct. 10. Then Indiana will play No. 18 Michigan and No. 12 USC by Nov. 14.
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