CHICAGO — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti came to Bloomington armed with a blueprint for success that he built during his decades-long career in college athletics.
It covered plenty of ground, but there wasn’t a chapter on the newfound fame and celebrity he’s dealt with since winning a national title.
“I’m a little surprised by that, honestly,” Cignetti said at Big Ten Media Days on Wednesday.
It started right after the season with Cignetti receiving countless requests for interviews and various media opportunities after his team pulled out a 27-21 win over Miami in the national title game.
Even as he turned down the majority of those requests, Cignetti ended up riding the pace car at the Indy 500 and becoming a face for the latest iteration of EA Sports’ famed college football video game. He recently shot a State Farm commercial that’s expected to debut at the start of the 2026 season.
While he could exert control over his schedule, Cignetti wasn’t quite prepared to become one of the most recognized personalities in the sport, with fans even approaching him on the vacation he took to St. Barts. Those interactions force Cignetti to reflect on how far he’s climbed in the coaching ranks and Indiana’s rapid rise.
“I think those moments is when I do that because I’m always a little taken back by, wow, you’ve got to be kidding me,” Cignetti said.
Cignetti admitted his age — he just turned 65 or, as he put it, become a “geriatric” — has helped him handle the spotlight. He didn’t land his first head-coaching gig until he was 50 years old, after spending his whole adult life in the business. He also experienced the highs and lows of the profession growing up as the son of a coach.
“I know how temporary this is,” Cignetti said. “You can be a hero one week and all of a sudden lose a game, people hate you.”
That’s why he spent much of his free time during the offseason as he always does — watching film on the projector in his office and gearing up for what he hopes is another deep playoff run.
“It’s nice,” Cignetti said of the attention. “But I also know that we don’t hold up our end of the bargain. I’ll be hunting effigy next fall.”
Michael Niziolek is the Indiana beat reporter for The Bloomington Herald-Times. You can follow him on X @michaelniziolek and read all his coverage by clicking here.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana’s Curt Cignetti navigates newfound fame — from Indy 500 pace car to State Farm ads
Reporting by Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times / Indianapolis Star
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By Michael Niziolek, The Herald-Times | USA TODAY Network
