Curt Cignetti Wants Seniors To Provide ‘Exclamation Point’ To Indiana Football Season

Curt Cignetti said that a good finishing performance against Purdue ‘must get done’ to cement the legacy of Indiana seniors.

Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti reacts in the game against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Typically, in the lead-up to Senior Day – whether in a winning or losing season – coaches in all sports pay homage to the players who have committed their lives to the mission of winning and to service their school.

Indiana football has not only enjoyed a winning year but has had the greatest season in school history. Going into the Old Oaken Bucket game against Purdue – scheduled for kickoff at 7 p.m. ET on Saturday – the Hoosiers have an unprecedented 10-1 record and are in the College Football Playoff mix.

There’s nothing that should be final about this Senior Day for these Indiana seniors, so while coach Curt Cignetti appreciates their contributions to the historic campaign, he put a challenge on their collective plates. He wants to ensure that they reach their full potential in their last college go-around.

“We’ve got one game left in this season. We need to put an exclamation point on this regular season or this group won’t be remembered quite as fondly as they could be. That must get done,” Cignetti exclaimed on the pre-taped Inside Indiana radio show this week as he emphasized that last sentence to host Don Fischer.

Those aren’t the usual Senior Week platitudes you hear from a coach. But this isn’t a typical season for the Hoosiers.

“Up to this point, this is a group that’s accomplished things that have never been done here before. That’s because of their commitment, hard work and dedication, their togetherness, their leadership qualities, their ability on the field and their competitive spirit, they’ve put themselves in that position and that makes them a special group … if we take care of business Saturday,” Cignetti said.

Indiana has a lot riding on its annual battle with Purdue. A loss would surely destroy Indiana’s College Football Playoff chances. Even a close win could dim the Hoosiers’ hopes.

On the other side of the coin, a victory could give Indiana an outside shot at a berth in the Big Ten championship game if Ohio State and Penn State lose their final games. Ohio State hosts Michigan and Penn State hosts Maryland.

An emphatic win would almost certainly cement the Hoosiers’ place in the College Football Playoff field.

“We have so many veterans on this team. Guys who have played so much football and been starters for two, three seasons and had so much success. One of the reasons they had so much success is they’ve got the right stuff," Cignetti said.

After Cignetti issued his mission to his seniors, he paid the usual homage to their contributions.

“It will be a group that will always be recognized and remembered. There’s a lot of them. They come from a lot of different places and a lot of different universities, but they all have a common bond. And that is they’re good people, they have strong character and they’re good football players,” Cignetti said.

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke (9) passes the ball in the first quarter against the Michigan Wolverines at Memorial Stadium. / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

One of those seniors is quarterback Kurtis Rourke. Cignetti called him a “steady Eddie” kind of guy who has been integral to Indiana’s success.

“Kurtis was looking for an opportunity on a bigger stage like this. We’ve had success with quarterbacks, with our offense, throwing the football and winning games. For him, it was what he was looking for and he came in and once he tasted some success in the regular season he built off every game and he’s meant so much to this football team,” Cignetti said.

One thing Cignetti is sure of is that the Hoosiers need a large crowd to show up to see the seniors out. Though Indiana still has a chance to host a playoff game, the Hoosiers would need help elsewhere to be put in that position.

The game is officially sold out, but the weather will be the coldest it’s been, by far, for a game this season. The temperature is forecast to be 30 degrees at kickoff. In addition, it’s Thanksgiving break for the students, who don’t return to class until Monday.

No matter. Cignetti wants the students back and the non-student fans, too.

“Obviously (a) big game. Really need to get the students back. Need to pack the stadium. It's got to be loud. It's got to be a winning edge for us,” Cignetti said.

Show up, show out, be loud. pic.twitter.com/I1Gn32FGAU

— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) November 29, 2024

Cignetti wants as many Indiana fans as possible to bear witness to the greatest season in school history. If his team can do what he’s set out for them to accomplish, Cignetti knows there’s more landmarks on the horizon.

“I think our body of work is not close to being done yet. If it's a 12-chapter book or 14, 15, 16 chapters – I’m not counting games, I’m just talking chapters – I think there’s a lot of this book left to be written,” Cignetti said.

Related stories on Indiana football

• HOW TO WATCH: How to watch Indiana's Old Oaken Bucket contest against Purdue on Saturday. CLICK HERE.

• HORTON FEELS PASS PROTECTION WILL BE BETTER: Indiana tight end Zach Horton is committed to making Indiana's pass protection better on Saturday against Purdue. CLICK HERE.

• INDIANA PLAYERS DOWNPLAY CFP RANKINGS: Indiana players don't want to lose focus on the task at-hand. CLICK HERE.

• THANKFUL FOR FOOTBALL: On Thanksgiving, it was nice to have football at a basketball school. CLICK HERE.

• GAMES TO KEEP AN EYE ON: Games elsewhere in Week 14 to keep an eye on around college football this weekend. CLICK HERE.

• MEET THE OPPONENT: Purdue has had a rough season, but the Boilermakers have pride and shouldn't be overlooked. CLICK HERE.

• PREDICTIONS, KEYS FOR BUCKET GAME: Hoosiers On SI's predictions and three keys for the Old Oaken Bucket game. CLICK HERE.