PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Kurt Cignetti’s eternal seriousness has become a big part of the Indiana coach’s emerging legend. His perpetually angry face on the sidelines inspired countless memes and became the embodiment of the sharp, no-nonsense approach these Hoosiers have taken to soaring through the sport in just two seasons.
Television cameras captured Cignetti’s big smile with minutes remaining on Thursday as Indiana beat Alabama 38-3 in the 112th Rose Bowl. As the Indians celebrated their first bowl victory since 1991 with confetti and roses, he bared a few teeth again on the podium.
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Receiver Elijah Sarratt said it was “almost” the biggest smile he’d ever seen from a coach.
“You don’t get a lot from Coach Seager, so whenever you get one, you have to appreciate it,” Zarate said with a laugh.
But just minutes later, Signetti was back to his business face. He’s already thinking about the season-defining test Oregon State (13-1, No. 5 CFP) will give his Indians (14-0, No. 1 CFP) in the College Football Playoff semifinals Friday at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta.
“We’re going to have a very big challenge next week,” Signetti said. “It’s very difficult to beat a really good team twice. There’s no question about that.”
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In fact, Indiana is the only blemish on the Ducks’ record. The Hoosiers physically defeated the defending Big Ten champions with a 30-20 win in Eugene on Oct. 11, one of the landmark wins of Cignetti’s incredible tenure.
The Hoosiers are now Big Ten champions after beating Ohio State last month. They added the school’s first Rose Bowl victory and first Heisman Trophy since that trip to Otterson Stadium.
But the Ducks have also grown and matured over the past three months, and the quarterfinals have made them clearly the biggest threat to stop Indiana from heading into history. They earned that chance Thursday with a 23-0 win over Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl.
“That team in the locker room has shown time and time again that they’re ready for the big moments,” Oregon State coach Dan Lanning said.
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Lanning smiles more than Signetti does, at least in public. But the coaches have a deep respect for what they’ve built at two schools that have never won a national football championship.
Mississippi and Miami surprised the entire sports world by advancing from two other quarterfinals, and it became clear that the winner of the Peach Bowl would have a strong shot at capturing its first national championship in the January 19 tournament in South Florida.
While Oregon State has won eight straight after limiting Texas Tech’s high-priced roster, Indiana has done nothing to suggest it shouldn’t be the favorite to win the biggest trophy to end an unprecedented two-year turnaround.
Indiana’s 35-point victory in the Rose Bowl was the latest incredible feat for Indiana, which played its first Big Ten road game of Cignetti’s tenure at the stadium nearly 15 months ago. The Hoosiers beat UCLA that weekend and have been a force ever since.
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The Indians and their grateful fans had a lot of fun in Pasadena, but it’s unlikely they’ll bring their celebratory hangover to Atlanta. From Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza to the support staff, no one in Indiana seems to be taking this success for granted — as they all realize that this position has seemed impossible for the Hoosiers as of late.
“We like to be the underdog,” defensive tackles coach Pat Kuntz said. “We like people to think we’re just ‘Old Indiana.’ That’s what we need. We love that mentality. I hate when we’re favored. I want us to always be the underdog. That’s our mentality. Never satisfied, always humble and hungry.”
The Indians will also be favorites as they make the wave without showing any glaring weaknesses.
Meanwhile, Oregon’s offense was unimpressive in the Orange Bowl, rushing for 309 yards and just 1.4 yards per carry if sacks were included, and struggled on the ground. The Ducks managed just 267 yards in a loss to Indiana three months ago, and Indiana’s defense has only improved and now ranks second nationally in yards allowed (252.6) and points allowed (10.3).
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Dante Moore threw for just 186 yards and was intercepted twice by Indiana, but the quarterback and his Ducks have a week to figure out how to beat an undefeated Indiana team.
“You never want to look too far ahead,” Moore said. “You want to be grounded in the moment and live in the moment. We have to worry about the next day.”
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