This season, Indiana football is rewriting its history books. HC Curt Cignetti has taken a program that limped to a 9-27 mark in the three seasons before his arrival and turned it into a 7-0 powerhouse. The Hoosiers are now actual contenders, climbing to No. 2 in both the AP and Coaches Polls, the highest ranking in program history. Six first-place votes, double last week’s tally, signal the nation is taking notice. But if you think it’s only coaching genius at work, think again.

Here’s the twist that 135 FBS programs can’t claim. Indiana has leverage money can’t buy and that’s a massive alumni base that stretches across the country. On October 23, Curt Cignetti casually dropped this gem on X after his radio show. “The one thing I enjoy the most is seeing the fans’ response to our success and the way we have packed the stadium. Indiana has got the no. 1 largest alumni base in America, over 800,000,” he said. “Our success has definitely benefitted the university in a lot of different ways, the town, the state, etc. Made a lot of people proud.” 

Indiana isn’t just about the on-field fireworks. It’s a program built on a foundation that most schools only dream of. IU boasts over 805,000 alumni nationwide, recently surpassing Penn State. Nearly half of these alums, around 417,000, still reside in Indiana, turning Hoosier football into a homegrown juggernaut. That’s influence, support, and dollars raining down in Bloomington. “There’s a lot of Hoosier fans, and they’re growing. So let’s do our part to keep it growing.” Curt Cignetti said. 

The Hoosiers have turned that support into tangible wins. After knocking off Oregon, Indiana rolled past Michigan State 38-13. They’re 7-0 for the second consecutive season, a leap from last year’s No. 13 AP ranking. With signature wins over Illinois, Iowa, and Oregon, Curt Cignetti has shown this program is for real, and it’s for the long haul. And with wins piling up and the Hoosiers’ national profile soaring, the HC is already thinking two steps ahead turning success on the field into future recruiting gold.

Curt Cignetti is recruiting with an $80M advantage

Indiana’s next test comes Saturday against UCLA, where the Hoosiers’ hot streak meets a Bruins squad that has rattled off three wins after an 0-4 start. And here’s where the $80M news comes into play. Indiana will host key recruits like former Penn State commit Lavar Keys and Bolingbrook’s TJ Lewis. 

With NIL deals and upgraded facilities in the mix, Bloomington is positioning itself as the most attractive landing spot in the Midwest. Curt Cignetti doesn’t hide it. The financial windfall from the Big Ten’s media rights deals, more than $7 billion over seven years, translating to north of $80 million per school this fiscal year, is an open secret he’s leveraged for recruiting. Here’s why that matters. Indiana is leveraging a massive alumni base to back the program long-term. Just look at Michigan landing Bryce Underwood. Boosters and alumni investment made it possible to secure top-tier recruits through facilities, scholarships, and NIL opportunities. 

Combine historic alumni power with deep-pockets, and you don’t just build a program. You build a dynasty in the making. And you better believe that Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers are only just getting started.