Indiana Hoosiers Coach Curt Cignetti Drops Brutal Bombshell on SEC Scheduling — You Won’t Believe What He Said!

Curt Cignetti isn’t exactly known for sugarcoating things, and this time he really went all in defending his Indiana Hoosiers football program. When asked about scrapping the home-and-home with Virginia—a move that leaves Indiana’s non-conference games lined up against Group of Five and FCS opponents—he didn’t shy away from pointing fingers at the SEC’s own playbook. Turns out, plenty of SEC teams schedule similarly light non-conference slates, stacking games against lower-tier opponents while focusing heavily on their conference battles. Indiana’s own 11-1 run last season sparked criticism about the strength of schedule, but Cignetti’s unapologetic embrace of what he calls “SEC scheduling philosophy” flips the script. Whether it’s Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, or Indiana State, the Hoosiers know their fate will hinge on Big Ten showdowns anyway. It’s a tough pill for some to swallow, but in the high-stakes chess game of college football, strategy often beats spectacle. LEARN MORE

MORE: Georgia facing a Gunner Stockton QB worryThe non-conference schedule this year for Indiana is Old Dominion, Kennesaw State and Indiana State, not exactly a trio of powerhouses.He saw an opportunity to defend his Indiana Hoosiers football program, and the head coach put down the SEC to do so.Curt Cignetti didn’t hold back.MORE CFB NEWS:Cignetti was asked about canceling a home-and-home series with Virginia, which leaves Indiana playing only Group of Five or FCS games in the non-conference in the near future.But as Cignetti said, it’s a bit of an “SEC scheduling philosophy.”MORE: Florida’s DJ Lagway has an Arch Manning problemIndiana went 11-1 last season against what most considered a weak schedule.“12 of the 16 SEC teams play three G5 (Group of Five) or an FCS game,” Cignetti said. “Twelve of those teams play 36 games – 29 G5 games and seven FCS games, and have one less conference game. We figured we’d just adopt SEC scheduling philosophy. Some people don’t like it. I’m more focused in on those nine conference games.”Indiana’s season will be determined by how it plays against the Big Ten, anyway.Alabama plays Louisiana-Monroe and Eastern Illinois. Georga gets Marshall, Austin Peay and Charlotte. LSU’s schedule includes Lousiana Tech, SE Louisiana and Western Kentucky. You get the idea.