The National Championship is only days away and to many people’s surprise, the Indiana Hoosiers are firmly in the spotlight. After landing in Miami for the biggest game in program history, Indiana’s focus has shifted from celebration to preparation. Upon arrival, head coach Curt Cignetti met with reporters and sounded confident in how his team has approached the week.
“I can’t say what the mood of the team is. I think we’ve had a good week of preparation, but there’s still over 48 hours to go there,” Cignetti said Friday night after their flight. “So, we want to sharpen the edge and go in there so that we play our very best.”
Few coaches in college football obsess over preparation the way Cignetti does. He is known for spending long hours studying film and tightening every detail, all in an effort to put his players in the best position to succeed. That mindset has only intensified this week as Indiana readies itself for Monday, with the expectation that the Hoosiers will hit the field prepared to dominate against the Miami Hurricanes.
“What’s occupied my thoughts is preparation,” Cignetti said. “I mean, just like you prepare for any other game now, we got kind of two more extra days to do that.”
Indiana has been successful in every environment this season. Home, away, or neutral site, the Hoosiers have controlled games and rarely looked rattled. Still, the atmosphere on Monday presents a different type of challenge. The National Championship is being held in Miami, the same place the Hurricanes call home, and there is no doubt that Miami’s fan base will show up in force. Even so, early projections suggest Indiana fans may make up a good portion of the crowd.
Cignetti is hoping that number skews even higher. “The fans, in terms of Indiana, I’d love for it to be a home game,” he said Friday.
Hoosier Nation has traveled well all season and there is little doubt they will pack into the stadium again on Monday night. It will be a thrilling stage for both fan bases, but only one team will leave with the trophy. Cignetti’s only concern is making sure it is Indiana that walks off the field as National Champions.