Indiana shocks Alabama in the Rose Bowl. Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers are headed to the College Football Playoff semifinals, and they did it with grit, detail, and belief. The rain fell, the defenses punched, and Indiana never blinked. The program that started a rebuild is now a giant killer.
The Moment in Pasadena
This was not fluke or flash. Indiana won the line of scrimmage, trusted its plan, and finished drives. The defense set the tone early with clean tackles and tight coverage. The offense stayed patient, protected the ball, and owned field position in the rain. That balance felt like Indiana all year, only louder.
You could feel the shift in the stadium. Alabama is the sport’s standard, yet Indiana looked like the team with steadier legs. The Hoosiers kept everything in front, forced long fields, and took the air out of the Tide’s rhythm. It was calm, tough football in a soggy Rose Bowl.
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Indiana books a CFP semifinal and a rematch with Oregon after toppling Alabama in the Rose Bowl.
How Cignetti Built a Giant Killer
Curt Cignetti promised a fast build in Bloomington. He delivered. He brought the same plan that worked at James Madison and Elon, only scaled up. He put standards first. He found players who fit the room. He hired teachers, not just recruiters.
Culture first
Cignetti cleaned up the little things. Practices moved with purpose. The tempo was sharp. The team focused on situational football, third downs, red zone, and two minute. That shows up in tight games and bad weather. It showed up tonight.
Scheme that travels
Indiana’s identity is simple. Be physical, be sound, take what the defense gives. The Hoosiers use motion to create leverage. They lean on a patient run game and quick throws. On defense, they mix coverages, heat up the pocket late, and rally to the ball. It is not flashy, it is suffocating.
- Clear standards, no shortcuts
- Fit over hype in recruiting and the portal
- Situational mastery, weekly and daily
- A defense that runs, hits, and finishes
Cignetti once coached at Alabama under Nick Saban. Tonight, his blueprint beat the program that helped shape him.
The Game Plan that Bent Alabama
In the rain, chaos helps the team that plays cleaner. Indiana did. The Hoosiers clogged inside lanes and built a wall on the edges. Linebackers triggered fast. Safeties tackled in space. Corners stayed patient and used the boundary as a friend. Alabama had to earn every yard.
Cignetti and his staff timed pressure, not too much, just enough to disrupt. They showed blitz, then peeled out. They brought heat from depth late in the count. That forced shorter throws and check downs. It also kept the quarterback from getting comfortable.
On offense, Indiana valued the ball like gold. The backs stayed north and south. The line kept a firm pocket. The quarterback took easy completions and lived for second and short. Special teams mattered too, in a big way. Punts died near the goal line. Kicks were sure. Field position tilted red, then stayed that way. Football weather, football win. 🏈
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In rain games, win the middle eight minutes around halftime, and win hidden yards on special teams. Indiana did both.
What the Oregon Rematch Means
Now comes Oregon. Speed, space, and a deep playbook. The Ducks stress you horizontally, then hit the seams. They play fast between snaps and force your defense to communicate. Indiana has seen it, and that matters. A rematch is a test of growth as much as talent.
Cignetti’s path is clear. The Hoosiers must set edges and push the ball back inside. They must tackle in ones, not twos, because Oregon turns missed tackles into sprints. On offense, Indiana needs long drives that keep the Ducks on the sideline. The run game must travel again. Third downs must be short. Red zone trips must become points, not chances.
The mental side matters too. Oregon will punch early. Indiana has to absorb it without panic. That is where Cignetti’s weekly rhythm pays off. The Hoosiers have become a team that trusts its details when the noise grows.
The New Shape of the Big Ten
Indiana is not a cute story now. It is a problem. The Big Ten’s postseason picture has a new edge because the Hoosiers defend, run, and do not beat themselves. That is sustainable in January. That is Cignetti’s stamp.
He arrived with a plan and a promise. He changed habits, then he changed results. Tonight he beat his old employer in the sport’s most famous setting, and he did it with Indiana’s brand, not a borrowed one. The rebuild is over. The rise is real. Next stop, a semifinal with everything on the line and a coach who has made belief look like a system.
