Curt Cignetti is entering his second Old Oaken Bucket matchup against Purdue as Indiana’s head coach. His first was a statement 66-0 win in Bloomington that cemented the Hoosiers’ bid for an at-large spot
in the 2024 College Football Playoff.
This week, Indiana has a chance to clinch a spot in the Big Ten Football Championship in Indianapolis, another first for the program. The Hoosiers will need to get by a Purdue team that’s winless in the Big Ten and led by a first year head coach in Barry Odom.
Odom, like Cignetti before him, was hired from the Group of Five level and has experience as a head coach. Unlike Cignetti, he wasn’t able to make a drastic one-season turnaround happen. That doesn’t mean this year is without its merits for the Boilermakers, as Cignetti said during his usual Monday press conference.
“Coach Odom has got them playing hard,” Cignetti said. “So we’re certainly expecting their best shot, and we’ve got 100% focus all eyes on Purdue and are in the process of preparation to put ourselves in the best position to be successful.”
Cignetti went through Purdue’s schedule, noting the Boilermakers have been far more competitive at Ross-Ade Stadium in West Lafayette, where they’ll meet the Hoosiers, than on the road.
“They’ve been very competitive at home,” Cignetti said. “You look at Purdue. They go to Michigan; they lose by five. They got Rutgers; they’re ahead with four minutes to go in the game at home. Minnesota, they led the whole game and lost at the end. Ohio State was a competitive game for most of the first half. Then they went to Washington, and the game got away from them. That’s a hard place to play.”
Told about Indiana’s likelihood to make the Big Ten Championship with a win over Purdue, Cignetti quickly said he’s not looking past the Boilermakers at all.
“Look, we are 100% focused on Purdue and nothing else,” Cignetti said. “We have respect for Purdue. If you don’t respect your opponent, then you’re starting in a bad spot.”
