Curt Cignetti Had Nick Saban-Like Speech At Indiana's Championship Celebration

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Curt Cignetti Had Nick Saban-Like Speech At Indiana's Championship Celebration

The Indiana Hoosiers had their schoolwide celebration for their historic national title win today and head coach Curt Cignetti seemed to do a great job of channeling his former boss Nick Saban at the event.

Amid temperatures that were so cold he admittedly struggled to speak, the Indiana coach declared that the next chapter of Indiana football would begin tomorrow.

"Chapter 3 begins tomorrow!" Cignetti declared, to the roar of thousands of Indiana fans at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

Saban, who Cignetti worked under at Alabama for several years, was famous for quickly shifting the focus to his pursuit of the next national title after winning one. Saban won seven national titles in his Hall of Fame career – six at Alabama and one at LSU – with Cignetti on staff for his first Alabama title in 2009.

But after what Cignetti did, many are arguing that his lone title at Indiana might be comparable to all of the titles that Saban won at two historically great programs.

Taking over the losingest program in history and making them national champs within two years certainly makes a strong argument.

Jan 19, 2026; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti hoists the National Championship trophy in the air after the College Football Playoff National Championship game at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn ImagesMark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

History Made

The 2025 season was simply the best in program history, culminating in the school’s first-ever College Football Playoff National Championship and a perfect 16–0 record. Under Cignetti, the Hoosiers dominated the Big Ten Conference, going 9–0 in conference games, earning their first Big Ten title since 1967, and defeating Ohio State 13–10 in the conference title game.

Quarterback Fernando Mendoza had a historic season, becoming the first Indiana player to win the Heisman Trophy. Indiana’s success earned them the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff, where they recorded a resounding 38–3 win over Alabama in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal and a commanding 56–22 victory against Oregon in the Peach Bowl semifinal before advancing to the national title game.

In the 2026 CFP National Championship, Indiana beat the Miami Hurricanes 27–21 at Hard Rock Stadium, completing an undefeated campaign and etching their name among college football’s historic seasons. The Hoosiers became the first FBS team since 1894 to go 16–0 and the first Big Ten team outside of Michigan or Ohio State to win a consensus national championship since 1960.

This story was originally published by The Spun on Jan 24, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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