Curt Cignetti’s 4-0 run is clearly proving that last year’s 11 wins weren’t a fluke. The entire narrative about their last year’s success was just revolving around how they couldn’t smack a win against a ranked team. But this time he’s doing it against them, and their 63-10 win against no.9 Illinois shows their dominance. Last year they made the playoffs, and this year? They have a new leader. It’s Fernando Mendoza, whose accuracy and pass efficiency are grabbing everyone’s eyes. With him under center, it’s pretty clear that Cignetti is ready for another playoff run!

Cignetti’s head-coaching journey starts at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he coached from 2011-16. His dad Frank Cignetti Sr. was also the head coach there previously. But Cignetti decided to shift to Elon. “Dad,” Curt Cignetti said. “We’re going to go down there, and we’re gonna kick some a–.” Those were Cignetti’s words to his dad before taking over the reins at Elon, a struggling program in North Carolina. Now Frank thought it was a risky move, knowing his son had already led his team to a 10-2 season and the playoffs, and getting into a struggling program could end his run. But true to his nature, Cignetti took the job, and there was no going back. From Elon to James Madison to Indiana, his bold nature, fearless attitude, and consistent results made him a coach who holds a 134-37 career record.

And this win against a top ten program in Illinois, only the second time since 1987, shows his dominance. So, it wasn’t his arrogance when he said, “Google me, I win”. It was a winner telling the world what he’s capable of. Now, the entire nation is rallying behind it, praising him. First up there’s ESPN’s Rece Davis, who took to X, posting a gif of Cignetti with a perfect caption that reads, “Google him. What a performance. Belt to rear end. And they aren’t done.” Cignetti’s impact has only just started.

Then the host of Sports Rush, Brett R. Rump, came in praising Cignetti’s recruiting strategy. “The transfer portal and NIL have made a program transformation possible in a short period of time… But what Curt Cignetti has done at IU will still be the most remarkable turnaround of all time. The talent, the on-field performance, AND the fan support have improved by infinite proportions,” Rump said. Well, that makes sense after seeing how every player was in their best form against Illinois.

Curt Cignetti’s defense made sure Illinois ran for their lives in this game. As their offensive line was already struggling, giving up 9 sacks, the highest in the Big 10. Indiana’s defensive front changed formations multiple times, sending blitzers from various directions. And the result? Illinois just averaged 3.6 yards per play, which is their worst since 2021.

Roundtable Sports’ columnist Bob Kravitz, is also making the world aware of Curt Cignetti’s turnaround. “I’m repeating myself, but the job Cignetti has done is nothing short of remarkable. IU had three winning seasons in the previous 29 years, including 3-9 in Tom Allen’s last season. Deal with it, CFP. The Hoosiers are back.” That’s right, Cignetti took over a program that was drowning and made sure it made the most impact.

Cignetti’s ultimate weapon against Illinois

Fernando Mendoza is breaking his own records every week. Against Illinois he completed 21 of 23 passes for 267 yards with 5 TDs. His run through 4 weeks might shock you. Mendoza completed 76 of 99 passes with a completion rate of 76.8% for 975 passing yards and 14 touchdowns. He also had 76 rushing yards with 2 more scores. And the best part? He hasn’t thrown a single pick yet. Now, you know why everyone is going gaga over Mendoza’s skills.

Now, this win didn’t just prove Curt Cignetti’s dominance but also took Fernando Mendoza’s name to the Heisman watch list. This guy is now at the no. 3 position with +1200 odds on the Fox Sports list. In his game against Illinois, Mendoza showed flashes of excellence when he connected with E.J. Williams Jr. for an 11-yard touchdown pass. But what made it special was that pass was perfectly placed over a linebacker’s outstretched arms, which gave Williams a perfect chance to jump and get the catch, securing the score in the end zone.

Mendoza’s chemistry with receivers like Elijah Sarratt and Omar Cooper Jr. was the highlight of the night. Their combined efforts fueled the team’s passing game the entire night. Now, let’s wait and see if Curt Cignetti and his team are able to maintain this dominance for the entire season or not!