Why the Texas football coach brought up the 'Indiana Way' of Curt Cignetti's rebuild
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Here we go again. One prominent college football coach has taken issue with the way Curt Cignetti built Indiana football.
Texas football coach Steve Sarkisian has made it a point in his talking season to point out schedules of other teams. Notably with in-state rival Texas Tech, which has risen in prominence since the inception of NIL. It reached a point of Texas Tech boosters offering to buy out the Week 1 games of each school to see if the Longhorns could back up Sarkisian's claim that "if I played with our twos and threes, we could go undefeated, and they’ll probably make the CFP this year."
There is much debate about what the proper scheduling should be in college football. One that centered on the Hoosiers after they were granted a berth to the 2024 College Football Playoff, and one many felt vindicated in saying it was the wrong choice after IU lost at Notre Dame in convincing fashion.
It became the sound of summer in college football circles after Cignetti's crew went 3-0 against FIU, Western Illinois and Charlotte with an average margin of victory of 45.3. IU was 11-1 and got an at-large bid into those playoffs before losing 27-17 to the Irish, a score more respectable than it played out — "ass kicked" was Cignetti's term.
As the Big Ten gathered for its annual media days in Las Vegas, defending the schedule was a critical point. Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti defended IU, and Cignetti had facts to back up his league — and his team — compared to how the SEC scheduled its games. The debate, at the time, was number of Power Four opponents due to how many league games each conference mandated. The selected Hoosiers to speak on the team's behalf were rather confident, too.
They beat the likes of Old Dominion, Indiana State and Western Illinois by an average margin of victory of 44.3, then opened Big Ten play with a 63-10 trouncing of No. 8 Illinois that created meme after meme of Illini coach Bret Bielema looking defeated. IU defended its schedule debate on and off the field en route to its first national championship, going 16-0.
Which leads us to Sarkisian's comments posted Thursday, June 4, on the "Always College Football Podcast" with ESPN's Greg McElroy, where he praised Cignetti and Indiana for what they did. But it came with a warning to those who are trying to adopt the way Cignetti turned IU, losingest program in college football history when he took over, into a national championship program in two years.
“There’s a lot of ways to find the path to make it. Curt Cignetti, an amazing job at Indiana. What he’s done the last two years, there’s not a guy in our profession that can’t say, ‘What an unbelievable job.’ The way he did it has been somewhat unconventional with the sixth-year seniors, the transfers, the veteran group, the way they practice. All those things," Sarkisian said. "But one thing in there, he adjusted their schedule, too. They’ve got a fresh team, they’re playing a lot of players early in the year, they’re a happy team.
“We can’t, everybody, want to adopt the ‘Indiana Way’ but then, not adopt all of the ‘Indiana Way.’ But other people now are starting to follow suit. So to coach Cignetti’s credit, everybody wants to impact our sport in some way, shape or form in a positive way. He’s impacting people because people now are starting to adjust their nonconference schedules because they’re seeing the value of another win as opposed to the value of the strength of your schedule.”
Why does Sarkisian care, about how Cignetti runs his program, others trying to emulate the "Indiana Way," or even Texas Tech and its position in the Big 12? Posturing and politicking across college football has long tried to influence rules, policies or lay the groundwork for a CFP argument.
Sarkisian's Longhorns were 11-2 in 2024 to make the CFP. They were 9-3 last season and missed out. Oh, and in the Big 12 in 2023, Texas went 12-1 before losing to Washington in the four-team CFP.
Perhaps the Longhorns would have gotten in if they hadn't lost 14-7 to open last season at Ohio State. Going 10-2 with that marquee win would have been appetizing for the CFP committee. But the dynamic has changed this year as the SEC restructured its conference scheduling.
Sarkisian is posturing because his Longhorns are scheduled to play 10 Power Four games in 2026: getting the return game from Ohio State on Sept. 12, then playing nine SEC games. Should Texas manage to make the SEC championship game, then add another.
So, yes, Sarkisian is laying the ground work for his argument of inclusion into the 12-team College Football Playoff. But, as Sarkisian should know, win the games and the rest will take care of itself.
Indiana did it. Google it.
Steve Sarkisian Indiana comments on schedule, Curt Cignetti
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Steve Sarkisian Indiana comments on Curt Cignetti about Texas football schedule
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