Curt Cignetti has led the Indiana football program to the most incredible turnaround in college football history. Cignetti took over the program with the most losses in the history of the sport, and wasted no time in turning the Hoosiers into title contenders.
Over his two seasons with Indiana, Cignetti has led IU to an overall record of 27-2 with a remarkable 17-1 mark in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers put forth a historic campaign this past season, going a perfect 12-0 in the regular season before winning the Big Ten Championship Game, Rose Bowl, and Peach Bowl en route to winning the CFP National Championship.
Indiana's 2026 win total projection shows the Hoosiers are here to stay
No matter how you slice it, what Cignetti has done in Bloomington is nothing short of remarkable. For his efforts, Cignetti has won multiple Coach of the Year awards from various outlets and organizations, and the praise continues to roll in heading into the 2026 season.
Curt Cignetti claims No. 1 spot in 2026 head coach power rankings
The start of the 2026 college football season is still about six months away, but it's never too early for some head coach power rankings. Bruce Feldman of The Athletic has released his Top-25 power rankings for college football head coaches in 2026, and Hoosier fans are fired up to see Cignetti claim the top spot.
Feldman praises Cignetti's magnificent turnaround in Bloomington, and notes that IU had to defeat several college football blue bloods to win the National Championship this season season.
"He transformed the losingest program in college football history into an 11-2 Playoff team in Year 1 and a 16-0 national champion in Year 2 — and his team beat a bunch of blue bloods along the way. It’s a stretch to think any other coach could’ve done what the 64-year-old Cignetti has done."Bruce Feldman
For perspective, Indiana won a total of three Big Ten games in the three seasons before Cignetti arrived. With Cignetti at the helm, the Hoosiers have lost just one conference game over two seasons.
Cignetti's rise to the No. 1 spot is a big one, as he was No. 19 in last year's coaches rankings from Feldman. He overtakes Georgia's Kirby Smart for the top spot, with Smart now holding the No. 2 ranking. Ohio State's Ryan Day is the next-closest Big Ten coach in the rankings, coming in at No. 3.
All Cignetti does is win, as he posted a stellar 52-9 record over five seasons at James Madison before taking over at Indiana. Before that, he was 14-9 in two seasons at Elon and 53-17 at IUP. In his career, Cignetti now owns a combined record of 146-37, which is good for a winning percentage of .798.
Looking ahead, Hoosier fans should have all the confidence in the world in Cignetti leading the cream and crimson to another title-contending season in 2026.