Indiana football looked flawless in stomping on Illinois 63-10 on Saturday. Except head coach Curt Cignetti pointed out “egregious” mistakes in the rout of the previous top 10 program.
The second-year head coach pointed out the flaws via Zach Osterman of the Indianapolis Star Monday.
“We had some egregious mistakes at the back end, particularly at safety,” Cignetti revealed. “We had about five of them, only got exposed once.”
Cignetti added how IU “can't put that stuff on tape” or else the Hoosiers become “fractured” through the continuous errors on that side of the football.
The Hoosier defense did surrender a 59-yard reception to Collin Dixon — which tied the game briefly at 7-7. But IU pulled away with ease afterward.
Indiana, Curt Cignetti reappearing on CFP radar?
The College Football Playoffs witnessed Indiana as a surprise entrant one year ago.
CFP polls are still weeks away, but IU delivered an early case for recognition.
The Fighting Illini entered as the No. 9 team in the nation. Cignetti and the Hoosiers throttled their first top 10 ranked opponent of 2025.
Regardless of season, any win over a top 10 foe sparks either national title or postseason conversations. And that convo is surfacing once again around the Bloomington campus.
Indiana turned to a familiar Big Ten football blueprint to bash Illinois: Thrashing the trenches. IU averaged 6.4 yards per carry through the ground attack including watching Khobie Martin hit 8.9 yards per carry. Martin scored twice through runs of 31 and eight yards in the fourth quarter.
The Hoosiers even started the game penetrating through the Illinois line in blocking a punt — later scooped up by D'Angelo Ponds for an 11-yard score.
Cignetti, though, helped unleash a furious defensive display. Indiana compiled 10 tackles behind the line of scrimmage featuring seven sacks. Mario Landino and Tyrique Tucker both grabbed two sacks.
Lastly, quarterback Fernando Mendoza suffered just two incomplete passes — going 21-of-23 for 267 yards and tossing five touchdown passes.
Indiana now sits outside the top 10 at No. 11 overall. Illinois fell all the way to 23rd.
