Although he’s a seemingly never ending source of viral quotes and led his team to a national title, IU football’s Curt Cignetti is still not the most hated coach in college football.
Cignetti finished eighth in a RotoWire poll ranking the top 20 most hated coaches in the sport. The poll was tabulated in part based on social fan-sentiment analysis across Reddit, X and Facebook, and 50% via a 500-person fan survey.
Speaking with Kay Adams on the Up & Adams show this week, Cignetti gave a sarcastic explanation for why at least some college football fans don’t like him.
“Maybe I’m so cuddly and likable,” Cignetti told Adams.
The Rotowire poll of fans listed LSU’s Lane Kiffin as the most hated coach. Colorado’s Deion Sanders, Clemson’s Dabo Swinney, USC’s Lincoln Riley, Ohio State’s Ryan Day, Georgia’s Kirby Smart and Miami’s Mario Cristobal are also “more hated” than Cignetti, at least for now.
Perhaps a never-ending barrage of national television commercials will be just what Cignetti needs to move further up the disapproval charts.
In his interview with Adams, Cignetti was wearing a State Farm shirt in connection with a commercial he was filming. Curt from Indiana will join Jake from State Farm and famous coaches and athletes who have starred in commercials for the insurance company including Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, Caitlin Clark, Chris Paul, and Cooper Flagg.
Former IU basketball coach Bob Knight also appeared in a 2012 State Farm commercial, in which he portrayed an intimidating hard-to-please customer. That role didn’t require a great deal of acting from Knight, who was well known for his fiery temper.
How would Cignetti grade his own acting skill in his State Farm spot?
“C-, and that’s probably being generous,” he told Adams.
It won’t come as a major surprise if Cignetti’s always serious approach is central to the commercial. That mindset directed him back to the 2026 season when Adams kept asking about the commercial and his likeability.
“The only thing that matters is, how did your team do at the end of the year?” he said. “Did you get the most out of your team?”
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