Curt Cignetti understands the history surrounding Indiana’s football program. However, he’s not letting that dictate what he’s looking to do with the Hoosiers.

On Saturday, he led his team to a 42-28 win over Maryland, guiding the Hoosiers to a 5-0 start to the season and a 2-0 start in Big Ten play. For some context, the Hoosiers had 7 total wins across the 2022-23 seasons, and they had just 3 total conference wins from 2021-23 under Tom Allen.

Cignetti was already the first head coach in IU history to begin his tenure 4-0. Now, the Hoosiers are one win away from their first bowl appearance since 2020 and we haven’t even hit October.

That win also gives Indiana a 5-0 start for the first time in 57 years. The significance of the moment was not lost on the head coach.

“There are a lot of things happening this game, we’ve got a lot of improvements to make,” said Cignetti from the field. “But evidently haven’t been 5-0 in 57 years. That’s a pretty long time, isn’t it?”

It is just the 3rd time in the history of IU football that the Hoosiers have been 5-0. Cignetti addressed that mark further at his postgame press conference, but he also wants people to know this is not the end for the Hoosiers.

Indiana’s first shot at bowl eligibility will come next weekend at Northwestern, and that’s certainly a winnable game. We’ll see if the Hoosiers deliver with the postseason on the line.