Curt Cignetti has already gotten his second raise in less than two years as Indiana’s head coach.
Indiana announced Thursday that it agreed to terms with Cignetti on a new eight-year contract worth more than $11.6 million per year. Per USA TODAY’s college football coach salary database, that makes Cignetti the third-highest-paid coach in college football behind only Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Ohio State’s Ryan Day.
The $93.25 million value of Cignetti’s contract is fully guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Rittenberg.
The raise comes just 11 months after Cignetti signed an eight-year contract worth $8 million per year with Indiana. He received that contract just 11 months after Indiana hired him as its head coach on a six-year contract worth $4.5 million per year.
Cignetti’s latest raise comes five days after he led Indiana to a 30-20 road win over Oregon, establishing the Hoosiers as one of college football’s elite teams this season. The Hoosiers are now ranked third in the AP poll – the highest ranking in program history – and appear well on their way to making their second straight College Football Playoff appearance with a 6-0 record to start the season.
The new contract also comes four days after Penn State fired James Franklin. Cignetti stood out as a logical target for the job, given his immediate success at Indiana and his roots growing up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. But Indiana quickly moved to ensure Cignetti would have no reason to leave Bloomington.
"At Indiana University, we are committed to performing at the highest levels in everything we do, and no one has exemplified that more than Coach Cignetti," Indiana president Pamela Whitten said in a statement. "Put simply, Cig is a winner. From last year's College Football Playoff appearance to this year's top-3 national ranking, the IU Football program's success has been tremendous. Curt and Manette Cignetti are home in Indiana and we are delighted that the Cignetti family will be Hoosiers for many years to come."
In a video released on social media following the contract signing, Cignetti said he plans to spend the rest of his career at Indiana.
“I couldn’t be more proud to be a Hoosier, and I plan on retiring as a Hoosier,” said Cignetti, who is 64.
A Hoosier through & through.
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) October 16, 2025
Our coach, @CCignettiIU. pic.twitter.com/DFo7n6Ke1w
