Why Curt Cignetti believes IU's loss to Ohio State last year was necessary

BLOOMINGTON — Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti admitted his program is better prepared for its moment in the spotlight than it was a year ago during a Zoom press conference with reporters Sunday afternoon.

The No. 2 Hoosiers (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten) will spend the week prepping for a matchup in the Big Ten title game against No. 1 Ohio State (12-0, 9-0), the same opponent that ended its unbeaten season a year ago.

“They dominated that football game,” Cignetti said. “And was the moment too big for that football team? I mean, really objectively, you'd almost have to say it was.”

Cignetti pointed to the “uncharacteristic” mistakes the Hoosiers made throughout the loss with a focus on the pass protection issue and special teams breakdowns they had.

Ohio State was able to time up its pass rush to the silent count IU used — a hand gesture by the guard — and wreaked havoc in the backfield with five sacks. The Hoosiers finished the game with just 151 yards, the fewest yards in Cignetti’s entire career, and 68 yards passing.

“Every time we dropped back to pass something bad happened," Curt Cignetti said at the time.

Indiana also gifted Ohio State 14 points, a point Cignetti has brought up the special teams miscues every time he’s talked about the game.

Former IU punter James Evans was tackled at his own 7-yard line after dropping the snap with the game tied 7-7 late in the second quarter. After a three-and-out in the third, Caleb Downs returned a punt 78 yards for a touchdown.

“They had all the momentum in the world,” Cignetti said. “They pretty much dominated for two quarters in that football game.”

Cignetti traced the success IU had when facing adversity on the road this season in hard fought wins against Iowa, Oregon and Penn State straight back to the lessons the program learned at Ohio Stadium.

The Hoosiers put together game-winning drives in the final two minutes against the Hawkeyes and Nittany Lions and bounced back from a pick-six thrown by Fernando Mendoza against Oregon in hostile environments.

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“While that was not an enjoyable experience, it was an experience that was necessary for our growth and development to go into a hostile environment like Ohio State and play a team of that quality,” Cignetti said.

It’s why the Indiana football team with a lot of the same faces — they retained all but one assistant coach and returned double-digit starters — is a much different opponent that walked off the field in Columbus last year

“I think we've learned a lot since the last time we played,” Cignetti said. “We respect Ohio State. I mean, they're a great football team. What they've done speaks for itself. And we understand that we're going to have to play really well Saturday night”

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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indiana football loss at Ohio State last season necessary, Curt Cignetti says