Paul Finebaum's October Comment On Curt Cignetti Is Laughable
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College football fans are spinning the block on Paul Finebaum‘s comments from October of last year when he remained skeptical of Indiana and Curt Cignetti‘s success.
After lifting the Hoosiers to the first double-digit win season in school history in 2024, the university rewarded Cignetti with an eight-year, $93 million extension last fall.
The team had also defeated multiple AP Top-10 teams for the first time ever on the way to their historic turnaround. However, Finebaum still wasn’t sold on the coach’s ability to make IU a true college football contender.
Paul Finebaum: Indiana ‘did not’ make right decision extending Cignetti
Appearing on “First Take” a handful of months ago, Finebaum was asked directly by Stephen A. Smith if Indiana made the right move locking in with Cignetti for the long-term — and the answer was a pretty clear “no.”
“They did not,” Finebaum began. “I think everyone on this panel believes that he’s done a phenomenal job. But Stephen A., this is how programs get in trouble. They just gave him an extension and a contract raise at the end of last season. We are barely at the midpoint, let it play out before you completely send the Brinks truck up… I’m still not convinced that Curt Cignetti is one of the top coaches in America.”
Safe to say Finebaum’s take didn’t age well.
Stephen A. Smith: “Did Indiana make the right move with Cignetti?”
Paul Finebaum: ” They did not…I’m still not convinced that Curt Cignetti is one of the top coaches in America.” pic.twitter.com/sMtnmk4EfP
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 17, 2025
Fans circle back on Finebaum’s comments after Indiana’s national championship win
“🤡” Matt Leinart replied.
“Dumbest take of all time ⁉️” Eric Hosmer asked.
“This has been a tremendous season for people finally figuring out whose opinions they never need to take seriously about college football ever again,” Tom Orr posted.
“That take is colder than the weather,” Frank Fleming commented.
“This glorious, high level of inaccuracy will live for freaking ever,” JMV shared.
“Ahahahahahahahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahhahhahaahahaha,” a fan laughed.
IU’s national title cements Cignetti as the author of one of the greatest sports turnarounds in history — even if the Hoosiers were to never win the CFP again.
This story was originally published by The Spun on Jan 20, 2026, where it first appeared in the College Football section. Add The Spun as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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