Curt Cignetti can't wait to play Notre Dame

Fans have been calling the first-round College Football Playoff matchup between Indiana and Notre Dame the Battle of Indiana, and Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti is ready to win. The two teams haven't played since 1991, and Indiana hasn't beaten Notre Dame since 1950. Cignetti, though, isn't intimidated by playing under the golden dome at Notre Dame Stadium.

Indiana's first-year head coach has played the Irish before in his coaching career as a grad assistant at Pittsburgh, the quarterbacks coach at Rice and an offensive assistant at NC State.

"I've played them five times," Cignetti told CBS Sports' Dennis Dodd. "Three and two."

Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke passes the ball while Purdue Boilermakers defensive back Antonio Stevens defends

QB Kurtis Rourke is a huge reason Indiana is 11-1 and in the CFP / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

None of those games were anything like this one, however, kicking off the first 12-team College Football Playoff on December 20. Cignetti believes that the Hoosiers have an advantage in that a lot of his players have been, and will play with a chip on their shoulder. Coming to Indiana from James Madison, Cignetti brought 13 former Dukes with him to Bloomington, and 31 players in total transferred.

"Because they were good players in a Group of 5 [conference] making all-conference wondering why they weren't recruited by a Power 4 [conference]," Cignetti told Dodd, referring to the chip his players play with every week.

After being announced as the 10-seed on Sunday, Cignetti told reporters his team has overcome the odds before, and are in it to win it.

“We’re in it to win it.” 🗣️🔥

Curt Cignetti and Indiana football have made the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history‼️

Hear what Coach Cignetti had to say on the Hoosiers’ upcoming matchup vs. No. 7 Notre Dame. #iufb pic.twitter.com/wJHkMBmAux
— The Hoosier Network (@TheHoosierNet) December 9, 2024

In August, Indiana was +9500 to make the College Football Playoff and are now +4000 to win the National Championship, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. The winner of Indiana-Notre Dame will play the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs in the Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day.