It's no secret that the landscape of college football -- and college athletics as a whole -- has changed drastically in a short amount of time. Over the span of just a couple years, NIL and the transfer portal have completely turned the college football world on its head.
New recruiting hint dropped by 5-star target Monshun Sales has Indiana fans sweating
Curt Cignetti has adjusted to the changes in an effective fashion. This past season, he led the Indiana Hoosiers to a historic campaign last season that saw them post an undefeated 16-0 record to go along with a historic National Championship title. In the process, he's turned a long overlooked IU program into a powerhouse.
But with so many changes to the sport occurring in such a short amount of time, Cignetti doesn't see this current trajectory lasting much longer.
Curt Cignetti gives deadline on when college football changes need to be made
Earlier this week, Cignetti spoke to media members at the annual Huber's winery event in Borden, IN. Per Colin McMahon of The Hoosier, Cignetti drew a line in the sand of when changes to be made to the current college football landscape. The Hoosier head coach didn't specify what exact changes need to be made, but he made it clear that he doesn't believe the current structure in place is sustainable.
In Cignetti's eyes, the current state of college football has 1-2 more years before it collapses. The financial demand of NIL and roster construction is at an unprecedented level, and Cignetti doesn't see how that can continue without a substantial downfall in the near future.
"The market is pretty expensive — it’s scary. It’s scary. I think players should get paid. But something’s going to have to be done in the next 12 to 24 months, or universities might not be able to handle this. College football won’t exist the way we’re going right now."Curt Cignetti
“Universities won’t be able to survive. College football won’t exist the way we’re going right now.”
— Colin McMahon (@ColinMcMahon31) May 28, 2026
At the Hoosiers at Huber’s event last night, Curt Cignetti commented on the current state of the NIL market. He didn’t give an explicit opinion, but made clear that change is… pic.twitter.com/SUcCYevo3O
Like plenty of other Power 4 teams across the country, Indiana has dove head first into NIL and the transfer portal. Cignetti has done a wildly successful of utilizing the transfer portal, as he's been able to bring in impact players in each of his three offseasons in Bloomington so far. It's also clear that Indiana's administration and large alumni base has been fully supportive of IU's financial needs for roster development.
However, Indiana's financial demands for roster construction aren't near the top of the top in college football. Teams such as LSU, Texas, Oregon, Ohio State, and Miami (FL) have eclipsed the $40 million mark in building their rosters for the upcoming 2026 season. Some are even pushing closer to the $50 million mark. Indiana's number is closer to the $18-22 million range.
As prices and demand continue to rise, it will be interesting to see how the market trends in the coming seasons. The top players in the country are going to continue driving extreme demand, and in order to bring those players in, schools are going to have to pay up. If schools can't afford to continue putting up these massive dollar amounts year-in and year-out, the system as a whole could come crumbling down.
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