Curt Cignetti is a national champion -- and a happy one at that.
Just take it from his daughter, Natalie.
Back in 2019, after Cignetti's James Madison squad blew out Monmouth 66-21 in its FCS playoff opener, Natalie had a simple question for her father: Was he happy?
Cignetti, who had just won his first Division I playoff game as a head coach, had a characteristically blunt response: No.
Fast-forward six years, Cignetti has now led Indiana to its first national title in school history, erasing decades of football futility. So, given Natalie's 2019 post had resurfaced in the build-up to the championship, she figured it was the right time to ask her father the same question.
"So.... are you happy?" she wrote in a text message to Cignetti.
His answer? Yes, with seven double-exclamation-mark emojis added on for emphasis.
Confirmed: Curt Cignetti is happy 😂 https://t.co/VUkmdZ3pW5
— Adam Rittenberg (@ESPNRittenberg) January 20, 2026
The Hoosiers defeated Miami 27-21 on Monday night, capping off one of the most remarkable stories in college football history. The win was so big, it even prompted something the usually stoic Cignetti couldn't resist: a big smile.
