If there’s one team that has truly stood out from the rest in this College Football season, it’s the Indiana Hoosiers. Curt Cignetti led his players to an undefeated campaign, and now they eagerly await the playoff quarterfinals against the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Despite this extraordinary performance, Cignetti feels there’s room for improvement from his perspective in the NCAAF. What’s the story? The experienced coach was far from satisfied with the schedule his team had to navigate this year, as the transfer portal opens just hours after its participation in the CFP.
“I definitely think the calendar could be improved,” Cignetti said. “And that would be unanimous amongst the coaches. Whether you got to move the start of the regular season up a week and start playing in the playoffs when the season ends so there’s a little bit better time to devote to high school recruiting and portal recruiting, we’re all looking, I think, for that solution.
“What you’re doing within college football is just you don’t have one guy in charge. If you had one person calling the shots, I think it would be a lot cleaner. So hopefully we’ll make some progress in that regard.”
Waiting on Alabama
The Indiana Hoosiers are entering their historic College Football Playoff debut against the Alabama Crimson Tide with an unprecedented level of confidence. The excitement in Bloomington has reached a fever pitch now that star quarterback Fernando Mendoza has officially been crowned the Heisman Trophy winner, cementing his status as the premier playmaker in the country.
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Facing a powerhouse like Alabama is a monumental task, but with a Heisman leader under center, the Hoosiers believe they have the elite talent necessary to pull off a signature upset on the national stage.
Fernando Mendoza at Kinnick Stadium, in Iowa City, Iowa.
When and where do the Hoosiers debut?
The No. 1 ranked Indiana Hoosiers are set to make their highly anticipated debut in the College Football Playoff quarterfinals on Thursday, January 1, 2026. The historic matchup against the No. 9 Alabama Crimson Tide will take place at the iconic Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:00 PM ET.
