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Curt Cignetti says Indiana’s 2024 schedule adopted the ‘SEC scheduling philosophy’
By Paul Harvey
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Curt Cignetti is sick and tired of hearing about Indiana’s weak schedule during the 2024 season or the idea that his program didn’t belong in the College Football Playoff. However, he took the time to get in plenty of zingers at the SEC during Big Ten Media Days.
On Tuesday, Cignetti was included in the Day 1 schedule and addressed the contingent in Las Vegas. At one point, he was asked about the schedule from 2024 that has been heavily criticized by outside sources nationally, but Cignetti pointed to types of schedules he sees in the SEC.
“That was a scheduling philosophy that began before I was hired, but I did sign off on it upon being hired before our first season, okay? Look, here’s the bottom line: We pick up an extra home game and we play 9 conference games,” said Curt Cignetti. “The 2 best conferences in college football, any football guy that’s objective will tell you it’s the Big Ten and the SEC. 12 of the 16 SEC teams play 3 Group of 5 teams and an FCS team… and one less conference game.
“So, we figured we’d just adopt the SEC scheduling philosophy. Some people don’t like it. I’m more focused on those 9 conference games.”
Cignetti even went and took things a step further when it comes to future CFP models. B1G commissioner Tony Petitti is still backing a model built on play-in games and automatic bids, something Cignetti claims would solve the strength of schedule debate within each conference.
For now, the other power conferences have been tied to the 5+11 format that features more at-large bids based on the CFP Committee rankings.
“You want to decide (the Playoff spots) on the field and make sure everyone’s strength of schedule is what it needs to be? Let’s make everybody play 9 conference games and on championship weekend, 3 will play 6 and 4 will play 5,” said Cignetti.
For anyone wondering what this year holds in store for Cignetti’s brash arrival last season, it’s clear he’s still coming out swinging once again.
Paul is a lifelong fan and student of all things college football. He has been covering college football since 2017 and the B1G since 2018.