Curt Cignetti and Matt Rhule are the two names most discussed for the open head coaching job at Penn State. There is still a long way to go before the Nittany Lions make a move in either direction, if at all, but it would be a much cheaper buyout at Nebraska than Indiana.
The Hoosiers backed up the Brinks truck!
Things can change at any moment in college football. Especially when it involves one of the most prominent brands in the sports. We know nothing! Don’t get comfortable.
Curt Cignetti signed a new contract at Indiana.
Cignetti, a former Nick Saban disciple, got his first opportunity as a head coach at IUP in 2011. He has since made stops at Elon and James Madison, and now Indiana.
All he does is win. Google him.
Ok I need to know this honestly from all the @JMUFootball fans. Did you guys truly like Curt Cignetti? Or did you just like him because he was your coach? Can't deny he wins but damn he seems like a prick. @GroupOfFiveGuys @SunBeltFB pic.twitter.com/CMbo79KNjN
— Jeff Murphy (@JMurphyLee) December 22, 2023
The Hoosiers made the College Football Playoff in 2024 during his first season at the helm and finished at 11-2. They are coming off of a statement win at Oregon on Saturday at 6-0 in 2025.
Fernando Mendoza is a legitimate Heisman Trophy candidate. Indiana is ranked No. 3 in the country.
However, James Franklin was fired by Penn State on Sunday and the Nittany Lions seem to be excited about the idea of Curt Cignetti.
Would he make a move within the Big Ten? Only time will tell. He may not even be “the guy” in Happy Valley. Penn State could go in a completely different direction. All of this speculation may not matter.
Meanwhile, the Hoosiers made sure to do whatever they can to keep their head coach in Bloomington. They signed him to an eight-year, $93 million contract extension on Thursday that pays him an average annual salary of about $11.6 million. Cignetti is now the third-highest paid coach in college football.
He “could not be more proud to be a Hoosier” and “plans on retiring as a Hoosier.”
A Hoosier through & through.
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) October 16, 2025
Our coach, @CCignettiIU. 🎥 pic.twitter.com/DFo7n6Ke1w
I believe him. But we’ll see.
His new buyout is more than double that of Matt Rhule.
As a part of this new contract at Indiana, the buyout for Curt Cignetti’s increased by about $5 million. It used to sit at $13 million but it was going to decrease to $10 million on Dec. 1.
This new deal reportedly increases that number to $15 million.
That is nearly double what it would take to buy out Matt Rhule at Nebraska, which could make him the leader in the clubhouse for Penn State. They are already paying ~$50 million to Franklin if he cannot find new employment so cheaper is probably better.
If Rhule chooses to accept another football-related job while at Nebraska, he would owe the university only $5 million in damages if it happens in the year 2025. That number drops to $4 million in 2026, $3.5 million from 2027 through 2029 and $2 million in 2030.
Here is the exact language:
If we’re being honest, the difference between $5 million and $13 million will not make a difference for the Nittany Lions. If they want their guy, they will pay whatever it takes.
This is still worth noting. It would cost Penn State $8 million to poach Cignetti from Indiana than it would Rhule from Nebraska.