It’s no exaggeration to say that the biggest game of Curt Cignetti’s life will take place Saturday in Columbus. The first-year head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers is certainly no stranger to success or big moments during his time at James Madison. However, as he led the Hoosiers to face the Ohio State Buckeyesit’s a Top 5 match with gargantuans College Football Playoffs consequences.

Unfortunately, Cignetti may have given Ryan Day and Ohio State some scoreboard material before he took the sideline with Indiana — and certainly before anyone thought the Hoosiers would be in that spot , if they thought they would be.

Shortly after his hiring in late 2023, after Indiana’s season ended, Cignetti appeared at a Hoosiers basketball game to be introduced to fans. He got the crowd rolling in a big way, especially when he took a shot at rival Purdue, simply declaring, “Purdue sucks!” However, Coach Cig didn’t stop there, as he also added “just like Michigan and Ohio State.”

I’m sure Day will show that to the Buckeyes this week a time or two to try to light a fire under the No. 2 ranked team in college football.

Even though Cignetti probably knew that Ohio State was on the 2024 schedule for Indiana, there is no realistic way for him to believe that his new team would enter this game undefeated at 10-0 and playing for a spot in the Big Ten championship game as they faced the Buckeyes.

However, this is the reality of the current situation. And while this could be an additional motivational tactic that the OSU staff can use to energize the team, there shouldn’t be a need for much more. This is a defining moment for both programs that could mean everything for either program’s College Football Playoff life.

This will be by far the biggest test Indiana has faced this season, having the worst record strength among teams currently projected in the 12-team CFP field. A win against the Buckeyes, however, would not only put them in the conference title race, but also lock the Hoosiers into the playoffs no matter what happens in Indianapolis.

It will be a daunting task for Cignetti’s team to achieve this, no doubt. FanDuel Sportsbook lists the Hoosiers as 13.5-point underdogs on the road against Ohio State. The Buckeyes have arguably the most talented team in college football, have lost just one game this season to No. 1 ranked Oregon, are still considered one of the national championship favorites and play obviously at home in Columbus.

The game is against Indiana. Still, no one expected Coach Cig and the Hoosiers to go 10-0. Who’s to say that the head coach won’t keep his word and make the 11-0 even more unexpected? We can’t wait to see this unfold, bulletin board materials and all, on the ground.