When the clock struck midnight on January 1, 2024, Indiana football was just the same old program. It was the team with the most losses in FBS history, a program that had managed only three bowl wins in its existence, and one perpetually overshadowed by the storied success of its basketball counterpart.
Now, exactly 365 days later, on Dec. 31, 2024, that narrative has been rewritten. The Indiana football of old is gone—replaced by something entirely different.
The Hoosiers went from enduring another painful 3-9 season to achieving an astonishing 11-2 record, earning their first-ever trip to the College Football Playoff. From selling out just one game to closing the season with four consecutive sellouts at Memorial Stadium. Most importantly, they transformed the apathy of their fanbase into an unparalleled wave of excitement and pride.
When Curt Cignetti stood at the podium for his introductory press conference, he boldly stated: “We’re going to change the culture, the mindset, the expectation level, and improve the brand of Indiana Hoosier football.” A year later, his words resonate louder than ever.
He also emphasized: “There will be no self-imposed limitations on what we can accomplish. It will be a day-by-day process, hinged on staying focused on the present moment and improving daily to put yourself in the best position tomorrow.”
That mindset—a relentless focus on progress—enabled the Hoosiers to engineer one of the most remarkable turnarounds in college football history. In just one year, they not only found success on the field but fundamentally changed the culture surrounding the program. What once seemed impossible—or at least implausible—became reality.
This transformation is a testament to how quickly things can change, not just in the modern era of college football but in life itself. The Hoosiers’ meteoric rise in 2024 reflects the power of determination, leadership, and belief in the face of doubt.
As the New Year approaches, it’s a time for reflection. So let’s look back on the monumental year that was 2024 for Indiana football and celebrate the moments that defined this extraordinary journey.
After Cignetti arrived on campus, he and his staff immediately went to work, constructing a roster that would embody the culture being created in Bloomington.
The roster ended up being a mix of Indiana returnees and newcomers alike. Players like linebacker Aiden Fisher, wide receiver Elijah Sarratt, defensive lineman Mikail Kamara, and a slew of other former James Madison standouts were critical to the program's transformation—as were the many other newcomers—but it couldn't have been done so quickly without Cignetti's staff. He flipped almost the entire staff, bringing in new personnel for every coaching spot except for offensive line coach Bob Bostad.
Among the new faces on the staff were some of Cignetti's former assistants at JMU, notably offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, defensive coordinator Bryant Haines, and co-offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach Tino Sunseri.
While many of those changes—from the coaching staff to the portal additions—were made before the calendar flipped to 2024, it wasn't until the turn of the new year that things really started rolling. It was then, during winter and spring practices, that the groundwork was laid for the most successful team in Indiana football history.
Cignetti said after Indiana's spring game on April 18, its first such showcase for fans since 2019, that "we have a long way to go and a short time to get there. I think the players understand that in terms of mindset, how we think, playing more physical, cleaner, tackling better first time out, throwing and catching, stuff like that."
This represented a notion that, while a culture shift had already started, the Hoosiers still had work to do, and the rest of spring and summer would be key.
At Big Ten Media Days on July 25, Cignetti said that his team "had a great summer," while also noting that "I like our team. We have a lot of experience on our team. We have a lot of guys that have played winning football that have good career production numbers multiple years, and we've got a good core group of guys that are accustomed to winning and are used to winning."
At the time, this may have seemed like a new coach trying to rally his guys together, but Cignetti meant every word he uttered.
While it was still July and a week remained before official fall practices would begin, Cignetti knew that 2024 would be special. However, things were just getting started for the Hoosiers.
Official practice started July 31, exactly one month before Indiana's opening game against FIU, marking a turning point in the course of the 2024 campaign. During the season, linebacker Aiden Fisher said, "Once we got back in fall camp, everybody was rolling together, and I think we all had the sense that this could be a special team."
After a month of practicing, it was time for the Hoosiers to take the field, with IU facing off against the Panthers of FIU and winning 31-7. Indiana got off to a hot start but slowed down in the second half of the opener, giving Cignetti and his staff a chance to improve heading into week two.
Improvement certainly came in week two, as Indiana won 77-3, breaking numerous program records, including most yards in a single game (701) and most points scored (77).
This performance opened some eyes to just how good this 2024 Indiana team could be. However, it came against FCS-level Western Illinois, so for IU to prove itself, the team would have to win on a larger stage. That larger stage came just one week later, as the Hoosiers traveled to take on UCLA in what was the first-ever Big Ten game for the Bruins. It was all Indiana from start to finish.
Two early turnovers swung the momentum in Indiana's favor, and the Hoosiers won 42-13, giving Cignetti and his staff their first Big Ten win in as many tries. Looking back, this matchup may have been the turning point for Indiana, elevating it from just a good team to an elite group during the 2024 season.
This wasn't just a turning point for the team itself—it was a moment where Indiana fans, many of whom made the trip to L.A. to cheer on their Hoosiers, realized this was an Indiana football team to be proud of. The support showed when IU returned to Bloomington.
There was a newfound buzz around the football team, one that could be felt throughout town, and the Hoosiers just kept on winning. They beat Charlotte 52-14 in their final non-conference game before hosting Maryland, a contest that turned out to be another major turning point for this Indiana team.
In the midst of ugly, rainy conditions, a crowd of just under 50,000 packed Memorial Stadium, creating the loudest atmosphere the venue had seen in years. Hoosier Nation cheered IU to another win, a 42-28 victory over Maryland. The win improved Indiana to 5-0 and built on the momentum created by the dominant UCLA performance; Indiana was finally starting to receive some national attention.
That attention only grew in week six, as Indiana was ranked for the first time since 2021, coming in at No. 23 in the AP poll. The Hoosiers then hit the road for the second time of the season, this time to face Northwestern in the Wildcats’ temporary lakefront stadium.
In front of a borderline majority IU crowd, the Hoosiers beat the Wildcats 41-24, becoming the first bowl-eligible team in college football at the time. This achievement drew even more attention to a program that had long been an afterthought in the Big Ten.
After the Northwestern game, Cignetti said, “When you take over a program, the No. 1 thing you got to do is change the way people think. The way you play the game, your expectation level, your standards, how you do things, the fan base—what to expect. Got to change the way people think.” This was his way of letting the nation know he believed his team had changed the narrative. After the bye week, he was proven right.
Before its week eight matchup against Nebraska, Indiana climbed to No. 16 in the rankings and hosted Fox’s Big Noon Kickoff show, much to the excitement of students on campus.
The show brought a raucous atmosphere and served as a major promotion for the incredible season Indiana football was having. While the show itself was a sign that Indiana was arriving on the national stage, the Hoosiers’ performance left no doubt. IU crushed the Huskers 56-7 in front of a sold-out Memorial Stadium, its first packed house of the season.
The win added to the Hoosiers’ momentum, though they would have to overcome a major challenge the following week: playing without starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who was sidelined for the matchup against Washington.
The Washington game also brought another pregame spectacle—this time ESPN’s College GameDay. The excitement on 17th Street was unprecedented. Students lined up the night before, thousands turned out, and former IU head coach Lee Corso returned to Memorial Stadium to celebrate the occasion.
It was a memorable day for Hoosier Nation, and despite Rourke’s absence, Indiana defeated Washington 31-17 to improve to 8-0, with all eight wins coming by at least 14 points. The streak quickly extended to nine after a dominant trip to East Lansing. The Hoosiers beat Michigan State 47-10, scoring 47 unanswered points after trailing 10-0 in the first quarter—Indiana’s first deficit of the season.
To top it all off, Kurtis Rourke returned from injury ahead of the Michigan State game, providing a key boost. His return also proved crucial in Indiana’s preparation for its biggest game of the season: a showdown with the reigning national champions, Michigan.
In their toughest test yet, the Hoosiers edged out Michigan 20-15, marking their closest margin of victory all season. The win improved Indiana to 10-0, making it the first team in program history to achieve double-digit wins in a single season.
At 10-0, Indiana was soaring, but the Hoosiers remained laser-focused on what lay ahead. The culture Cignetti and his staff had built made complacency impossible, and that mindset propelled them into what was, at the time, arguably the biggest game in Indiana football history—a showdown with No. 2 Ohio State as the No. 5 team in the nation.
The Hoosiers couldn’t quite get it done in Columbus, falling 38-15 to the Buckeyes and ending their hopes for a perfect regular season. Despite the loss, Indiana walked away with invaluable lessons, with quarterback Kurtis Rourke reflecting: "Even though it was a tough loss, I think it was really important for us to have a game like that, to be tested in knowing what it takes to win games."
That mature mindset had been a key factor in the Hoosiers’ success all year, and it carried them through once again. This time, however, it came in dominant fashion. Indiana reclaimed the Old Oaken Bucket for the first time since 2019 with a 66-0 rout of Purdue.
While Purdue was undeniably one of the worst teams in college football this season, the victory was monumental, marked by Mike Katic running around the field with the bucket in hand, a moment of sheer triumph.
Cignetti said of the win, “It’s a rivalry game, and I thought we really took it to them. That’s it,” explaining that while the victory was sweet, his team’s sights were set on even bigger challenges ahead.
And what lay ahead was a moment bigger than any game—one that validated everything Indiana had achieved, proving that what many thought couldn’t be done, in fact, could.
On Dec. 8, Indiana earned a spot in the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff, securing the No. 10 seed and a matchup with in-state rival No. 7 Notre Dame.
“Changing the culture is a process. You’ve got to change the way people think inside and outside the organization, throughout the state, in Big Ten country, and across the country. Then you’ve got to have a blueprint and a plan, and you work that plan every day to gain the edge. Then you’ve got to be committed to improvement,” Cignetti said after the selection show.
Next up for the Hoosiers: the biggest game in Indiana football history—a matchup with Notre Dame for a chance to advance to the CFP Quarterfinals at the Sugar Bowl.
Unfortunately for the Hoosiers, their remarkable run came to an end with a 27-17 loss to Notre Dame, eliminating Indiana from the College Football Playoff in bittersweet fashion.
Despite the defeat, Cignetti offered a powerful reminder: “It doesn’t diminish what these guys accomplished, for sure. This season, everyone in this room can detail out what this team has achieved. A lot of firsts.”
That statement rang true. Even with the loss in the CFP's first round, this was a team that changed Indiana football—potentially forever. The most incredible part? It all happened in just one year, a feat that many thought was impossible.
The Hoosiers defied the odds, silenced their doubters, and, most importantly, revived the IU football program.
Mike Katic, after the Notre Dame game, reflected, “Fans and everyone should see what we did this year. We changed the trajectory of Indiana football. We changed the way people think about Indiana football.”
Katic, who had been with the program for six years, saw it all—the rise in 2019-2020, the subsequent fall, the coaching change, and, ultimately, the transformation brought about by Cignetti. He witnessed firsthand how the culture shifted and how the program was brought to life.
Katic knows the weight of this season for Indiana football. He understands just how much has changed in a year, but he also sees how much more is to come. “I know the history of Indiana football, and I’m really excited about the future of it.”
The past always shapes the future, but there’s no denying that this Indiana football team changed everything. From how the program carries itself to how fans feel about it, even to how average people react when they hear the words "Indiana football."
2024 was a transformational year, and it happened in the span of just one season. It affected everyone—from the staff and players to diehard fans to those who discovered IU football for the first time.
And for Curt Cignetti, the man that made this all possible, he was finally able to reflect, something that is common this time of year but uncommon for a coach that is seemingly working to improve his program 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
"Wow, we've accomplished a lot in 12 months."
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