Finebaum isn’t questioning Cignetti’s success, just the timing of Indiana’s decision to cash him in again.
Paul Finebaum sounds off on Indiana’s $93 million commitment to Curt Cignetti originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Few analysts carry more weight in college football than Paul Finebaum, and his message to Indiana fans this week was unmistakable: slow down on the extensions.
“They did not. And before anybody jumps out of their chair, allow me to explain,” Finebaum said on ESPN. “I think everyone on this panel agrees that he’s done a phenomenal job. But Stephen A, this is how programs get in trouble.”
Finebaum’s point was clear. “They just gave him an extension and a contract raise at the end of last season,” he said. “We are barely at the midpoint. Let it play out before you completely send the Brinks truck up.”
He balanced praise with perspective. “Listen, there are very few generational talents,” Finebaum continued. “I understand why ESPN spends a fortune, like a hundred million dollars, to keep a once-in-a-lifetime talent like Stephen A. Smith. Curt Cignetti is one of the top coaches in America. He has coached brilliantly this year. But can’t you let it play out a little bit?”
Stephen A. Smith: "Did Indiana make the right move with Cignetti?"
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) October 17, 2025
Paul Finebaum: " They did not...I'm still not convinced that Curt Cignetti is one of the top coaches in America." pic.twitter.com/sMtnmk4EfP
The veteran analyst pointed to a familiar pattern. “A couple of years ago, remember Mel Tucker at Michigan State — they gave him a hundred-million-dollar deal. He went out, lost to Ohio State, and completely imploded after that. James Franklin, same thing. Jimbo Fisher, same thing.”
More: Three takeaways from James Franklin’s ESPN Gameday interview
With Indiana sitting at No. 3 and in firm control of its playoff destiny, Finebaum says the timing alone should give the administration pause. “Because Indiana is going to be in the playoffs, there’s no way he could leave anytime before December or January,” he said. “All I’m suggesting is take a deep breath, Indiana. Let the season play out a little bit before you mortgage a guaranteed $93 million contract that you may have to figure out a way to pay for down the road.”
Tomorrow’s 3:30 p.m. matchup against Michigan State at Memorial Stadium will offer the next test. The Hoosiers have been dominant through the first half of the season, but with national attention rising, Finebaum’s caution feels perfectly timed, as it’s a reminder that patience can sometimes be the boldest move of all.
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