Indiana names Cignetti as new head coach

Indiana finalized a deal to make Curt Cignetti the program's next head coach, the school confirmed on Thursday.

"I am excited to lead this program forward and change the culture, mindset, and expectation level of Hoosier football," Cignetti said in a statement.

Cignetti led James Madison to a 11-1 record in 2023 and established a 52-9 record during his tenure there.

"I am very excited to welcome Curt Cignetti as the head football coach at Indiana University," athletic director Scott Dolson said. "We had a very talented and deep pool of candidates, and Curt stood out thanks to an incredible track record of success over more than four decades in college football."

Cignetti was instrumental as the school transitioned to the FBS after joining the Sunbelt Conference in 2022. James Madison became the talk of college football while assembling a 10-0 record but was not ranked in the College Football Playoff since it was ineligible for a bowl game during the first two years of transitioning, per NCAA rules.

The Dukes became bowl-eligible after not enough teams met the six-win threshold to qualify for the postseason. Their bowl game will mark the first in program history.

The Hoosiers dismissed Tom Allen following a 3-9 campaign in his seventh season.