The Indiana Hoosiers are making it clear they plan to remain a powerhouse in college football. Following their upset win over Oregon, Indiana locked in head coach Curt Cignetti with a massive new deal, one that now places him among the nation’s elite in earnings.
According to CBS Sports’ Chris Vannini, Cignetti has agreed to an eight-year contract extension through 2033 worth an average of $11.6 million per year, making him the third-highest-paid coach in college football behind Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Ohio State’s Ryan Day.
As The Athletic’s Stewart Mandel noted, “The highest-paid CFB coaches (as of now) are: 1) Kirby Smart ($13.3M), 2) Ryan Day ($12.6M), 3) Curt Cignetti ($11.6M). What a time to be alive.”
The raise puts Cignetti ahead of several household names, including Lincoln Riley (USC), Dabo Swinney (Clemson), and Steve Sarkisian (Texas), who each earn between $10 and $11.5 million annually. It’s a stunning rise for both coach and program, one that highlights how quickly Indiana has transformed from a Big Ten afterthought into a legitimate national contender.
Athletic director Scott Dolson called the deal a statement of intent, saying the university is “committed to investing in IU Football in such a way that we can compete at a championship level.” Under Cignetti, the Hoosiers are 8-0 and ranked No. 3 nationally, their highest position in the modern era.
Cignetti’s journey to this point has been remarkable. Just two years ago, he was coaching at James Madison, leading the Dukes to FBS relevance. Now, he’s overseeing a Big Ten juggernaut that just toppled Oregon 30-20 and looks poised for a College Football Playoff run.
Still, success brings attention, and with it, temptation. ESPN analyst Paul Finebaum recently suggested that Cignetti should at least consider the newly opened Penn State job following James Franklin’s firing. “I would encourage him to think about it,” Finebaum said.
“At some point, you’ll get the wrong quarterback, you’ll miss a little bit, and it’ll crash. He’s at an age where he might have one more move left.”
Yet Cignetti doesn’t seem interested in leaving anytime soon. “We’re the emerging superpower in college football,” he told Fox Sports. “Why would I leave?”
As Indiana prepares to face Michigan State, the message is clear: the Hoosiers aren’t just keeping their coach, they’re paying him like a champion.
