Indiana Football Wanted a Winner. Curt Cignetti Validates Belief in Win at UCLA

Hoosiers roll Bruins for first opening week victory since 2019

New head coach leads Indiana to an exciting victory

Curt Cignetti has been waiting for this moment since he came to Indiana. The Hoosiers head coach was brought in to turn around a program that had struggled in recent years, and he knew that it would take time. But after a 24-16 win over UCLA in their season opener, it's clear that Cignetti is making progress.

Indiana's win was their first in a season opener since 2019, and it was the first time they had beaten a Power Five opponent in a season opener since 2016. The Hoosiers did it behind a strong defensive performance and a balanced offensive attack.

The Indiana defense held UCLA to just 16 points and 297 yards of total offense. The Bruins were held to just 3.9 yards per play, and they were 0-for-11 on third down.

The Hoosiers offense was led by running back Stephen Carr, who rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown. Quarterback Jack Tuttle was 15-of-24 passing for 185 yards and a touchdown.

Cignetti was proud of his team's performance, but he knows that there is still room for improvement.

"We're not perfect, but we're getting better," Cignetti said. "We made some mistakes tonight, but we also made some big plays. I'm proud of our guys for fighting through adversity and getting the win."

The Hoosiers will be back in action next Saturday when they host Idaho.