Curt Cignetti has quickly become a top name in college football coaching, due to how impressive the Indiana Hoosiers have looked this season and in the College Football Playoff.
After winning the Big Ten Championship against Ohio State, they received a first-round bye for the CFP. Despite three teams with a bye losing their first game of the CFP, Indiana was the only one of the four teams not to follow that trend.
They soundly defeated the Alabama Crimson Tide in the quarterfinal, 38-3, behind a dominant performance on both sides of the ball. Now Cignetti’s Hoosiers will face Dan Lanning’s Oregon Ducks in a semifinal battle to determine one half of the championship game.
Ahead of their matchup, Cignetti spoke about the significant challenge that playing Oregon presents for his team, as they battle in the Peach Bowl.
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According to Cignetti, Oregon has a significant “edge” in this game, as it’s a rematch of their previous regular-season meeting. Indiana won that game in October, 30-20.
“I think it’s more of a psychological edge, maybe. The one team that came up short has a little added edge, so to speak. At the end of the day, it’s determined by what goes on between the white lines,” Cignetti said during a video conference.
“It’ll be a tremendous challenge because they’re very well-coached and got good players. They’re explosive on offense. They run the ball very well. They’re very balanced,” he said.
He noted that the Ducks have a great offensive line, have a great pass game, and “use all 52 yards” in their offense. On defense, he also praised their speed and strong pass rushers.
Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw for 215 yards and a touchdown in the previous Indiana-Oregon clash, while running back Roman Hemby had 19 carries for 70 yards and two touchdowns. On the opposing side, Oregon’s Dantae Moore threw for 186 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions, but they could never control the game.
Cignetti’s recent admission to the difficulty in beating an opponent twice makes a lot of sense. In this CFP, Alabama defeated Oklahoma, 34-24, in the opening round after the Crimson Tide lost to the Sooners by two points during the regular season.
Additionally, Ole Miss stunned Georgia in the quarterfinals with a 39-34 win, after previously losing to the Bulldogs during the regular season.
That said, Cignetti continues to prove he’s currently the top coach in college football and has the best team on both sides of the ball, so the undefeated Hoosiers should be well-prepared for the challenge of this rematch.
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