Curt Cignetti and the Indiana Hoosiers are in the midst of a major recruiting heater. Cignetti has secured a total of eight verbal commitments over the last month, and more could be on the way soon.
Cignetti's latest recruiting victory not only continues Indiana's recent hot streak, but hands Ryan Day and the rival Ohio State Buckeyes a tough defeat.
Curt Cignetti lands 4-star commit from Ryan Day's backyard
On Wednesday, Indiana landed a commitment from 4-star EDGE Reinaldo Perez, who becomes IU's third blue-chip recruit of the 2027 class. Perez is one of the most coveted defensive prospects in the country, and he now becomes the second-highest ranked prospect in IU's 2027 class.
Perez hails from Columbus, and plays high school football at Columbus Academy which is less than 10 miles away from the Ohio State campus. He heavily considered the Buckeyes throughout his recruitment, but when it came time to decide on his future, Perez chose to play for Cignetti and the Hoosiers.
Indiana's 2027 recruiting class now sits at 11 total players and is ranked in the Top-30 nationally according to Rivals. Entering his third season in Bloomington, Cignetti could be on the verge of landing his best recruiting class yet and one of the top classes in the country.
Curt Cignetti has Indiana beating out Ohio State for blue-chip recruits
There was once a time -- not long ago -- when Indiana and Ohio State weren't necessarily fighting for the same recruits. Ohio State was a perennial powerhouse competing for national titles, while Indiana was just looking to get some repect in the Big Ten.
Then Cignetti came to town.
Since taking over for the program with the most losses in college football history, Cignetti has led Indiana to an overall record of 27-2, won a Big Ten title, won the Rose Bowl, won the Peach Bowl, won the National Championship, and produced a Heisman Trophy winner. He has completely changed the national perception of Indiana football, which is something that Ohio State fans are still struggling with.
Indiana QB Josh Hoover is the most mispriced player in the early Heisman race
Following Cignetti's first season in Bloomington that resulted in an 11-1 regular season and an appearance in the College Football Playoff, Buckeye fans thought it was a flash in the pan. They thought that success wouldn't last at a program like Indiana.
Then Cignetti won it all. Now, the Hoosier head coach has IU stealing recruits from Ohio State's backyard. Some Buckeye fans still can't believe that's a real sentence, but in the year 2026, Cignetti has the Indiana football program operating at a level not seen before.
Following last year's title team, it's clear that the Hoosiers have plenty of staying power with Cignetti at the helm in 2026 and beyond. The Hoosiers are among the preseason National Championship favorites, and there's a strong chance that Indiana claims the No. 1 spot in the Preseason AP Top-25 Poll in August.
The Hoosiers and Buckeyes are set to meet on Saturday, October 17 in Bloomington. Needless to say, that has serious Game of the Year potential.
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