Curt Cignetti has the safest seat in college football. What Cignetti has done in Bloomington has been historic on multiple levels, and Indiana has made sure to keep him around for the long haul. Cignetti's current contract will keep him at Indiana through the 2033 season.
When looking around the Big Ten, there are several head coaches who are either flirting with the hot seat or are firmly on it. The Hoosiers are set to face a few of those coaches this season, and have a chance to push those coaches further onto the hot seat or completely out the door.
Greg Schiano, Rutgers
Last year in Year 6 of Greg Schiano's second stint at Rutgers, the Scarlet Knights posted a 5-7 overall record to go along with a 2-7 mark in Big Ten play. Since returning to Rutgers in 2020, Schiano is just 31-41 and is a measly 15-39 against Big Ten competition. Entering Year 7, patience may be wearing thin in Piscataway.
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Rutgers enters the 2026-27 campaign with low expectations, and it would be quite surprising to see Schiano and the Scarlet Knights make any sort of huge noise this season. The Hoosiers hit the road to face Rutgers on October 3. It will be IU's first road game of the season, and Cignetti's squad figures to be heavily favored.
Lincoln Riley, USC
There's no denying this is a pivotal season for Lincoln Riley at USC. Riley's tenure with the Trojans so far can be described as a disappointment. USC has come close to the College Football Playoff, but has yet to get over the hump. That means the upcoming season could be a make-or-break campaign for Riley. Now entering Year 5, if things go south for USC, Riley's seat could be scalding hot.
The Hoosiers will host USC on November 14, and it's quite possible that plenty of CFP implications will be on the line. Additionally, it could have significant impact on Riley's job security in Los Angeles.
David Braun, Northwestern
The Northwestern Wildcats are entering a new era. With a brand new state-of-the-art stadium, new funding, and big-name additions to the coaching staff including Chip Kelly and Jerry Neuheisel, it's clear Northwestern is trying to move up in the Big Ten. With all of the momentum the Wildcats are trying to build, are we sure David Braun is the coach of the future?
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Braun is entering his 4th season in Evanston, and owns a pedestrian 19-19 overall record. He is just 11-16 against Big Ten competition and a measly 6-12 in league play over the last two seasons. Thus, Year 4 could be a pivotal one for Braun. If he delivers underwhelming results and the Wildcats miss a bowl game, he could find himself on the hot seat.
Indiana hosts Northwestern in the Big Ten opener on Friday, September 25 at Memorial Stadium. Cignetti and the Hoosiers defeated Braun's Wildcats 41-24 back in 2024, and if they cruise to another convincing victory in this year's matchup, it could put Braun behind the 8-ball just a bit.
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