Indiana Hoosier Head Football Coach Curt Cignetti previewed the team’s upcoming game against 5-4 Michigan on Monday. He also discussed their #8 ranking in the Associated Press College Football Poll.
Indiana is also 9-0 for the first time in school history. Their #8 ranking their highest non-pandemic ranking since the IU Rose Bowl team was ranked #4 in 1967. Saturday’s game is set for 3:30 pm in front of a sellout crowd at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.
“I’ll see the rankings, but the only thing that really matters is you get the result when you play, and to do that you’ve got to keep the main thing the main thing and eliminate the noise and the clutter and stay focused on what’s going to help you play your best on Saturday to give you the best chance to get the result. Every week presents its own new set of circumstances and so there’s a lot of that going on this week. I’m aware of it. But to get kind of caught up on that and lose your focus would be the kiss of death,” said Cignetti.
Cignetti said when he looks at Michigan, he sees both a really good defense and special special teams.
“And offensively, they haven’t scored points. They’re not in the 40s and 50s. But they can run the ball from 11, 12 and 13 personnel. They’ve got weapons. They’ve got good backs. They’ve got good players, and they’re a good football team coming in here with a lot of tradition, a lot of history, a lot of pride, and it’s part of the reason it’s on national TV at 3:30. To meet that challenge, we’ve got to have a great week of preparation,” said Cignetti.
Indiana is now ranked 10th nationally in turnover ratio.
“We’re doing a good job of protecting the ball on offense, which is where it all starts. Quarterbacks making good decisions in the pass game and the ball carriers, receivers are tucking it away nicely, and on defense we’re swarming the football. When you fly around, good things happen on defense. And we’re flying around, and a lot of good things are happening. TFL, sacks, and takeaways,” said Cignetti.
Michigan was the national champion in the 2023-24 college football season.
