Hoosiers HC Curt Cignetti’s insane ‘Google me’ hubris won them the national championship, but also nearly cost Indiana the game
Going for it on two fourth downs got the Hoosiers the game-winning touchdown by Fernando Mendoza, but not sticking to it, nearly cost them the win.
The Indiana Hoosiers finished the best Cinderella story in the history of college football, as they defeated the Miami Hurricanes, 27-21, to win their first national championship.
The game itself was a war, with the trench play being a huge factor in the outcome. The Hurricanes’ defensive line was borderline unblockable throughout the game, as Rueben Bain Jr. and Akheem Mesidor combined for three sacks and 4.5 tackles for loss, but they weren’t able to make enough plays to stop Fernando Mendoza.
Curt Cignetti nearly cost the Hoosiers a national title after giving them the lead
The final touchdown from the Hoosier is one that will forever be etched in the minds of college football fans. When Fernando Mendoza ran in a touchdown on 4th-and-5, he extended the ball across the goal line in emphatic fashion.
The Hoosiers touchdown almost didn’t happen. Earlier in the drive, the Hoosiers faced a 4th-and-5 at the Hurricanes 37-yard-line. Mendoza hit Charlie Becker on a back shoulder fade route for 19 yards and a big first down.
That play, along with the Mendoza touchdown, nearly didn’t happen. Before both plays, the field goal team was about to come up, but head coach Curt Cignetti called a timeout before both plays, changing his mind and being aggressive. At the time, the Hoosiers were just up three, and the Hurricanes were starting to get going on offense. It paid off in a major way, but he didn’t keep that same energy up.
The Hoosiers had the ball 4th-and-5 with a first down set to end the game. The Hurricanes had just one timeout left, and five yards separated them from a national championship. Instead of staying aggressive, Cignetti opted for the field goal, which would allow the Hurricanes to score a game-winning touchdown with just an extra point.
Having the guts to go for it multiple times when you are up three, so you aren’t at the mercy of watching the other team have the football with a chance to win the game, is a great strategy. However, not staying consistent with it nearly cost the Hoosiers a national championship. It’s also a terrible strategy analytically, as a field goal doesn’t improve your win percentage that much, as it improved the odds by just 5.0 percent.
It ultimately doesn’t matter, as cornerback Jamari Sharpe sealed the game-winning interception with 44 seconds left on the clock. This decision will get reflected on this offseason, and hopefully, it doesn’t hinder the future of the Hoosiers’ football program under Cignetti.
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