Curt Cignetti, Indiana Land No. 2 Available Transfer OL Before CFP Final Against Miami

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Curt Cignetti, Indiana Land No. 2 Available Transfer OL Before CFP Final Against Miami

The Indiana Hoosiers keep preparing for the College Football Playoff National Championship game against the Miami Hurricanes while trying to balance their on-field focus with long-term planning.

The Hoosiers, who enter the CFP final unbeaten and coming off dominant back-to-back postseason wins, will inevitably lose several veteran starters who will exhaust eligibility following the 2025 campaign.

Regarding the 2026 college football season, which will be the third under head coach Curt Cignetti assuming he remains with the Hoosiers, Indiana landed a massive transfer on Thursday to bolster its offensive line.

The Hoosiers addressed a major future need along the offensive front by adding Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Joe Brunner. Brunner committed to Indiana out of the NCAA transfer portal, giving the Hoosiers their first offensive line addition of the 2026 cycle.

Brunner arrives in Bloomington after starting 24 consecutive games for Wisconsin over the past two seasons. He earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention in early December after starting all 12 games at left guard for the Badgers, who finished 4-8.

Listed at 6-foot-5 and 317 pounds, Brunner has one season of eligibility remaining. He is ranked as the No. 55 overall player in the transfer portal and the No. 2 interior offensive lineman available, according to 247Sports.

Indiana entered the portal period with clear needs up front, as center Pat Coogan and tackles Kahlil Benson and Zen Michalski are expected to move on after completing their senior seasons.

Brunner will provide ample experience and flexibility for an offensive line that helped fuel Indiana’s historic run this season.

Wisconsin Badgers offensive lineman Joe Brunner (56) during a game.Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

At Wisconsin, Brunner played in 39 career games, including 12 starts in both the 2024 and 2025 seasons. He posted a 65.6 overall offensive grade in 2025, per Pro Football Focus, including a 71.5 pass protection mark across 694 snaps.

Brunner becomes Indiana’s 17th transfer portal addition this cycle and the first along the offensive line. With the transfer portal set to close on Friday, the Hoosiers have the No. 7 transfer class in the nation, according to 247Sports rankings.

The Brunner commitment comes just days before Indiana’s matchup with Miami for the national title. The Hoosiers enter the game with a pristine 15–0 record and face the 13-2 Hurricanes with kickoff set for 7:30 p.m. ET Monday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida on ESPN and the ESPN app.

Related: Curt Cignetti, Indiana Lose Safety to College Football Transfer Portal Before Miami Game

Related: Mario Cristobal, Miami Miss Out on SEC QB Despite $6.5 Million Offer

This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 16, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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