Indiana’s Curt Cignetti Previews Illinois Football

Illinois Football will face their biggest test of the young 2025 season thus far, as they hit the road to Bloomington, Indiana, for a primetime matchup with Curt Cignetti and the 19th-ranked Indiana Hoosiers, in front of a sold-out and rowdy Memorial Stadium.

As a refresher, Cignetti joined the Hoosiers last year to replace long-time head coach Tom Allen, following an exemplary career at James Madison. From 2019–23, he guided the Dukes to a 52-9 overall record over five seasons, including a 31-4 record in conference play. It’s also notable that Cignetti took the Dukes to an FCS national championship game appearance in 2020, along with two FCS semifinal appearances, before making the transition to FBS in 2022.

The transition proved successful, as over two seasons in the Sun Belt Conference, the Dukes went 19-4, including an 8-3 record in 2022 and a share of the Sun Belt title in their inaugural season in the FBS. However, the team was ineligible for a bowl game due to the transition. In 2023, Cignetti’s crew sprinted to an 11-2 record, capturing the Sun Belt title and appearing in the Armed Forces Bowl (L 21-31).

Of course, all roads then lead to Bloomington. Cignetti took over the Hoosiers in 2024 and, much like Bret Bielema at Illinois, quickly lifted his program from a certain level of mediocrity to the forefront of Big Ten and College Football Playoff discussions. Following an 11-2 season in 2024, including a CFP appearance, Indiana enters 2025 with high expectations—and this Week 4 clash with Illinois is a big test.

When meeting with the media on Monday, Cignetti acknowledged the magnitude of this matchup and shared his thoughts on Bret Bielema’s ninth-ranked Illinois Football team.

Credit: Indiana Football on Instagram.

Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti’s Thoughts on Illinois Football

When asked about the threat that QB Luke Altmyer poses to the Hoosiers’ defense, Cignetti not only emphasized the veteran QB’s talents but also highlighted other aspects of the Illinois Football program that make Saturday night a compelling matchup for his team.

“First off, bigger picture—they’re a really good football team,” says Cignetti. “Got a lot of good players. A lot of veteran players. Coach Bielema does a great job, he and his staff—in all 3 phases—offense, defense, special teams.“

He continued, “Veteran quarterback that’s got arm talent. Very accurate. Can extend plays. He’s won a bunch for Illinois. And that’s the one thing about Illinois, is they know what it takes. The success they had last year returned a good nucleus of guys, added some new ones. Very much kind of like us, you know? Good core returning, that understands what it takes.

“So, ought to be a great matchup, but I’m impressed with Altmyer,” he concludes.

Cignetti was also asked about his relationship with Illinois’ Bret Bielema, and expressed his admiration for the Illini head coach and the way he has built his program.

“Never coached against him. I really never met him until I joined the conference, and he was very welcoming. Always had a lot of respect for him as a coach. He was a head coach at a very young age and has really had some nice teams. He’s done a great job at Illinois. They’re fundamental, and you can see the coaching show up on tape.”

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