Curt Cignetti says Indiana spread in national championship is a ‘set up’

Indiana football has received loads of hype leading into the national championship game against Miami on Monday, Jan. 19. The No. 1 Hoosiers are 15-0 and are looking to cap off a perfect season with their first title in program history.

But second-year coach Curt Cignetti, who has led one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history, isn’t overlooking the No. 10 Hurricanes (13-2). He said Jan. 18 that Indiana isn’t falling for the ‘rat poison,’ an old adage made famous by legendary coach Nick Saban, one of his mentors.

‘I think the 8.5-point spread is a set up,’ Cignetti told SiriusXM on Jan. 18.

He explained why he thinks so earlier in the interview.

‘They’re athletic at all positions,’ he said. ‘They have great team speed, they have really good size. Their defensive line, the two ends are gamechangers. The inside guys are really good, they have depth there too. The linebackers run and hit. Corey (Hetherman)’s doing a great job coordinating the defense.

‘Offensively, the line’s big. Their starting running back is big, running really well. I think they do a great job of blocking. The receiving core is deep and athletic, and (Malachi Toney) obviously is an unbelievable weapon. I think he’s got 99 catches (with) no drops and can throw the ball on trick plays, too, and he’s a punt returner.

‘And the tight ends are good. And the special teams are good. The specialists are good. And they’re playing at home. And they didn’t have to travel.’

Thankfully for college football fans, there’s no more waiting involved. The Hoosiers and Hurricanes will battle it out at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, soon enough, and will find out if Cignetti’s premonition is correct.