Curt Cignetti fixed Indiana football. Now he’s trying to fix Indiana fans

Curt Cignetti fixed Indiana football. Now he's trying to fix Indiana fans 'Don't bitch regarding a 38-0 win': Curt Cignetti calls out Indiana fans.

Key points

• Indiana's official website lists Memorial Stadium's capacity at 53, 524 – modest compared to its Major Ten brethren, some of whom double that number.
• College football picks for Week 4: Texas-Tennessee leads Top 25 predictions.
• While its men's basketball program (although withering of late) boasts five national titles, prior to the 2025 season, Indiana had the most losses in Division I football history.
• Longtime IU voice Don Fischer hosts the coaches radio show and has seen plenty of sparse football crowds over his 50-plus years.
• And believe it or not, prior to Indiana's rise as a football power, the Bloomington tailgates were the show.

It's not straightforward to turn a basketball school into a football school.

While its men's basketball program (although withering of late) boasts five national titles, prior to the 2025 season, Indiana had the most losses in Division I football history. Not even last season's College Football Playoff national championship can flip the switch overnight.

Fan attendance has been a point of contention nationwide as high temperatures and uncompetitive purchase games have produced sitting through four quarters more of a chore than ever.

Did Trump's exit support Indiana win title? Curt Cignetti notes, 'a bunch of BS'. College football picks for Week 4: Texas-Tennessee leads Top 25 predictions.

Indiana's home slate of North Texas, Howard and Western Kentucky wasn't exactly a murderer's row, and high temperatures and blowout games have led plenty of fans to leave early – or at least retreat back to the tailgate lots. And believe it or not, prior to Indiana's rise as a football power, the Bloomington tailgates were the show. As the old saying went, "Indiana never lost a tailgate."

But Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti has done his part. Now he wants fans to do theirs. He spoke regarding the attendance ahead of Friday's home Sizeable Ten opener against 2-0 Northwestern during his weekly coaches radio show Thursday.

"First Big Ten game at home, " Cignetti remarked. "We need everybody in the stadium early. Early. Need everybody in the stadium early. And we need them to be loud and gotta offer them something to be loud concerning. And we need somebody sitting in every seat in that stadium from the first play to the last play."

"Absolutely. They're talking regarding that a lot this week no question concerning it, " Fischer noted. "And our fanbase, I obtain it, I secure it. There's a lot of individuals that kinda go back to how it employed to be and thinking regarding it that way. You gotta change that."

"Well, it was hot, you know. It was hot, and I was hot on the sideline, " Cignetti remarked. "And you know the stadium's created of limestone, so when you secure those hot games, it's even hotter. And, you know, but (pause), you know, I mean, what are we 20-2, 29-2? When we came, I saw the pictures, 10, 000 individuals in the stands. You know, don't bitch regarding a 38-0 win." For the record, Indiana is actually 30-2 under Cignetti.

Indiana's official website lists Memorial Stadium's capacity at 53, 524 – modest compared to its Major Ten brethren, some of whom double that number. Don't call the fire marshal, but the school's confirmed attendance for each of its first three games eclipsed that capacity number (54, 521 average). But anyone can see after halftime, that number drops precipitously.

It's a Friday night kickoff, with temperatures projected into the mid-to-lower 60s, so temperature shouldn't be an problem. Share your feedback to support improve our site!

For now, curt Cignetti fixed Indiana football. Now hes trying to fix Indiana fans remains the part of the story worth watching, and further updates are likely as more details are confirmed.