Indiana head coach Curt Cignetti has taken plenty of heat since canceling the Hoosiers’ upcoming series with Virginia — and the questions haven’t stopped. But at Big Ten Media Day, Cignetti didn’t duck the topic. He leaned into it.
“We figured we’d adopt an SEC scheduling philosophy,” Cignetti said, taking a subtle jab at college football’s most dominant conference.
He pointed to a trend that’s hard to ignore.
SEC programs routinely schedule FCS opponents and only play eight conference games. For Cignetti, that kind of model isn’t a weakness — it’s a strategic advantage and he’s ready to bring that same mindset to Bloomington.
Cignetti’s message was clear.
The Hoosiers aren’t going to fall behind just because it played a tougher slate than everyone else. Uneven scheduling across conferences, he argued, creates an unfair edge when it comes to College Football Playoff selection.
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“We need to standardize the schedules across the board,” he said. “We need to take the decision-making off the committee to some degree.”
Last year, Indiana earned a spot in the College Football Playoff despite criticism of their non-conference schedule. Those critics believed teams like Miami (FL), Alabama, South Carolina, and Ole Miss deserved a playoff spot over Indiana despite having worse records, based largely on their reputations.
It’s a narrative Cignetti is clearly tired of.
He sees the current system as one that favors name brands and legacy leagues, and punishes programs like Indiana for taking unnecessary risks. So, starting now, those risks are off the table.
Between 2025 and 2029, Indiana’s non-conference opponents include Old Dominion, Indiana State, Kennesaw State, UMass, Austin Peay, and Eastern Michigan. There isn’t a single Power Five team in the group — and that’s exactly the point.
It’s not about dodging challenges. It’s about controlling what you can. Cignetti is aiming for a “Playoff-friendly” schedule — the kind that helps, not hurts, when the committee meets.
The schedule may look soft on paper, but there’s intention behind every matchup. If the Hoosiers make a run in the coming years, Cignetti doesn’t want September games to be used as an excuse to keep them out.
The message is simple. Win games, and let the resume speak for itself.
“We’re not playing by different rules anymore,” Cignetti said.