Indiana’s Curt Cignetti Slams SEC Scheduling, Pushes for Playoff Reform

The Indiana Hoosiers, fresh off a historic 11-2 season and their first-ever College Football Playoff appearance, are gearing up for 2025 with a schedule that’s already stirring the pot. Head coach Curt Cignetti didn’t hold back at Big Ten Media Days, taking a sharp jab at the SEC while defending the Hoosiers’ scheduling decisions.

Indiana kicks off the year with matchups against Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, and Indiana State before diving into Big Ten play against Illinois on Sept. 20. But the real buzz came when Cignetti explained why the team scrapped a home-and-home series with Virginia, opting instead for an extra home game. His reasoning? Follow the SEC’s lead. "We figured we’d just adopt SEC scheduling philosophy," he quipped, pointing out that 12 of 16 SEC teams pad their schedules with Group of 5 or FCS opponents while playing one fewer conference game. With nine tough Big Ten games on the docket, Cignetti’s focus is clear—conference battles matter most.

He didn’t stop there. Cignetti pushed for a fairer playoff system, advocating for automatic qualifiers for top conferences like the Big Ten and SEC, but only if they’re earned through play-in games. He even floated the idea of annual Big Ten-SEC regular season clashes to level the playing field. "We need to standardize the schedule across the board," he argued, calling for less reliance on subjective committee decisions for playoff berths.

As the Hoosiers prepare to take the field with Fernando Mendoza at quarterback and standout receiver Omar Cooper Jr. returning, the team’s ambitions are high. But with Cignetti’s bold words, it’s clear Indiana isn’t just playing games on the field—they’re playing chess with the college football landscape.