The 2026 Big Ten Football Media Days are starting up, which means that the start of the new season is quickly approaching. As the defending National Champions, Curt Cignetti and Indiana's day to speak with the media comes on Thursday, which is the last day of the event. With Cignetti's knack for producing memorable soundbites at the podium, more memorable moments could be in store.
Everybody remembers Cignetti's iconic "I win, Google me" line from his introductory press conference at Indiana back in 2023. But do you remember what he said during his first Big Ten Media Days back in summer 2024?
A look back shows that Cignetti's confidence and swagger made it clear that Indiana wasn't messing around––and that he called his shot of taking the Hoosiers to new heights.
Curt Cignetti's first Big Ten Media Days signaled an energy shift for Indiana football
The Big Ten Media Days this week are in Chicago. Back in 2024, they took place at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Heading into his first season at the helm of the Indiana football program, Cignetti wasted no time delivering a powerful message that has Indiana fans still smiling to this day.
"Somebody asked me, 'How do you define success at Indiana?' I was like, 'Well, we want to be the best. I mean, you don't bring your kids up saying, "Johnny, I want you to be fourth-best. I want you to be tenth-best." Bull***. We want to be the best!"Curt Cignetti
As Cignetti became more passionate making this statement, his voice can be heard echoing through a mostly empty Lucas Oil Stadium. You can sense just how dialed in he is. Check out his full statement below:
"We want to be the best!"
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) July 27, 2026
Curt Cignetti let everyone know he and @IndianaFootball weren't messing around at 2024 @bigten media days 👇 pic.twitter.com/KhXbreCrly
Along with setting the tone for his first Big Ten Media Days, Cignetti's swagger and confident demeanor brought a much-needed energy shift in the Indiana football program. That fresh sense of confidence was exactly what Hoosier football fans had been craving. Since delivering that powerful statement in 2024, all Cignetti has done is deliver elite results.
Curt Cignetti's vision became a reality at Indiana
Over the course of just two seasons, Cignetti has accomplished what not many thought was possible at Indiana. When he came to Bloomington, he was taking over the program with the most losses in college football history. The Hoosiers had often been overlooked and out of the national spotlight, but Cignetti wasted little time in changing that.
After going 11-1 with a trip to the College Football Playoff in his first season, many still doubted Cignetti could build on that success. They viewed Indiana as a flash in the pan and a short-term feel-good story that was destined to fade away. But Cignetti had bigger plans in mind.
Last year, Indiana orchestrated the best season in program history and one of the best seasons in all of college football history. The Hoosiers went a perfect 16-0, won the Big Ten Championship for the first time since 1967, and claimed their first-ever national title. Cignetti's vision of turning the Hoosiers into "the best" had become a reality.
When looking back at Cignetti's 2024 Big Ten Media Days, it's clear that not only can Cignetti talk the talk, but he can walk the walk.
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