Curt Cignetti tells Indiana doubters to 'stick that narrative up their you know what'

Saturday’s game against Ohio State is arguably the biggest in Indiana football history. Head coach Curt Cignetti would argue otherwise, however.

Ahead of the Hoosiers’ kickoff against the Buckeyes in Week 13, Cignetti made an appearance on ESPN College GameDay to discuss the magnitude of Saturday’s matchup — making a bold statement on the confidence he has in his team.

“This is just a football game,” Cignetti told College GameDay’s Jessica Sims. “60 minutes between the white lines. We’ve got a veteran group, right? We earned the right to be here. There’s no magic wand. We’ve got the largest victory margin, in college football, right? There’s a narrative out there that’s created another chip for us.

“People can stick that narrative up their you know what.”

Despite Indiana’s undefeated status, it’s no secret that the Hoosiers are underdogs inside Ohio Stadium. The Buckeyes have been two-score betting favorites in Vegas since the early odds were released.

However, at a perfect 10-0, Indiana has largely dominated its competition in each of its games this season. The exception came in the Week 11 win against Michigan, where the Hoosiers walked away with a 20-15 victory. They trailed 3-0 against the Wolverines but never relinquished the lead from then on.

None of Indiana’s other wins have been contested by anything less than two scores.

The Hoosiers’ success has largely been predicated on their offense’s success. Led by quarterback Kurtis Rourke, he has been the most efficient quarterback in the Big Ten this season, logging an 88.1 QBR this season — good for second-best in the country.

Throwing 21 touchdowns compared to four interceptions, Rourke has amassed 2,410 passing yards this season on a 71.8% completion percentage. The Buckeyes will look to shut him and the Indiana offense down early during the Week 13 matchup, something that no team has been able to do to this point in the season.

Likewise, Indiana has yet to face an opponent like Ohio State this year. Still, Cignetti appears to be confident his group can rise up and shock the college football world in Week 13. Kickoff is slated for Noon ET live on FOX.