Curt Cignetti takes aim at the SEC: ‘We believe everything is earned, not given’
By David Wasson
Published:
A lot is spoken of and made of the relative benefits and pitfalls of playing a difficult conference schedule in college football – with SEC coaches and players inferring last week at their annual media gathering that their teams get beat up with the rigors of conference play before falling short of the ultimate prize.
Standing just to the left of his College Football Playoff national championship trophy, Indiana coach Curt Cignetti fired back at that logic Thursday on the final day of Big Ten Media Days in Chicago.
“We don’t run a hype machine up here in the Midwest. We believe everything is earned, not given,” Cignetti declared. “And when we fall short, we say, ‘We fell short.’ We don’t cry a river, whine, and complain. That’s why we’re the best.”
It is hard to argue with Cignetti’s logic. The Hoosiers’ 16-0 campaign in 2025 – culminated with a 27-21 victory over Miami in the CFP title game – marked the third straight national title for the Big Ten. Indiana followed Ohio State’s run in 2024 and Michigan’s march in 2023.
The SEC did land five CFP teams in the 12-team bracket last year, with the Big Ten earning three bids. But the proof is in the hardware, with Cignetti’s shining brightly beside him Thursday on the stage.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
