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Indiana football's Penn State win had Curt Cignetti thinking 'team of destiny'
TL;DR
Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti reflects on the team's dramatic 27-24 victory over Penn State, considering the Hoosiers as a potential 'team of destiny' following their undefeated national championship season.
Key points
- Curt Cignetti reflects on Indiana's win over Penn State
- Hoosiers won 27-24 with a late touchdown
- Omar Cooper Jr. made a spectacular catch
- The victory followed a coaching change at Penn State
- Indiana football achieved an undefeated national championship
Mentioned in this story
Curt CignettiNCAA
Indiana HoosiersPenn State Nittany LionsOmar Cooper Jr.
Indiana football's Penn State win had Curt Cignetti thinking 'team of destiny'
Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti usually concentrates on what his team is doing today. But the thrilling end to one game last season got him thinking — briefly — about grand possibilities.
The Hoosiers had blown a 13-point, third-quarter lead at Penn State and trailed by four in the closing minutes. Their 80-yard drive ending with Omar Cooper Jr.'s spectacular catch with 36 seconds left gave them a 27-24 victory. IU went on to earn an undefeated national championship.
"Had never seen anything quite like that before. They were playing with a lot more energy. They had made a change (firing coach James Franklin). It was their first home game (since)," Cignetti told college football analyst Josh Pate. "I knew it was going to be a tough game.
"We had an opportunity to distance ourselves in the third quarter, and didn't get it done. And then they took over."
IU got the ball at their 20-yard line with 1:51 remaining.
"Those 11 guys in the huddle, they just morphed into something else," Cignetti said.
Quarterback Fernando Mendoza got sacked on the first play of the drive, but completions of 22, 12, 29 and 17 yards got them to Penn State's 7 with 48 seconds to go. After two incompletions, Mendoza hit Cooper, who barely got a toe down in the back of the end zone for the go-ahead score.
Then a thought struck Cignetti.
"Cooper makes just an unbelievable catch," Cignetti said. "When I was walking across that field to shake (interim coach 's) hand, it kind of hit me. 'Wow, this might be a team of destiny here.'
Q&A
What did Curt Cignetti say about Indiana football's win over Penn State?
Curt Cignetti described the win as a thrilling moment that made him briefly think of the Hoosiers as a 'team of destiny' after their dramatic comeback.
How did Indiana football secure their victory against Penn State?
Indiana secured their victory with an 80-yard drive culminating in Omar Cooper Jr.'s catch for a touchdown with just 36 seconds left, turning a four-point deficit into a 27-24 win.
What was significant about the timing of Indiana's win over Penn State?
The victory was significant as it occurred during Penn State's first home game after firing coach James Franklin, adding to the game's intensity and energy.