Has Curt Cignetti passed Kirby Smart in college coaching ranks?

Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt has suggested that Indiana coach Curt Cignetti could surpass Georgia’s Kirby Smart in coaching ranks if the Hoosiers win the College Football Playoff title game. Klatt notes that Georgia has not been among the final four teams in the playoffs for the past three years, implying a gap in the program's recent post-season success despite Smart's record of back-to-back SEC championships.

Klatt argues that Cignetti, who is 26-2 with Indiana and has a record of 5-2 against Top 25 teams, has achieved significant success with fewer resources. Cignetti's journey includes a coaching stint at Alabama and head coaching positions at Division II Indiana University of Pennsylvania, Elon, and James Madison, which transitioned from FCS to FBS under his leadership.

Indiana, predicted to be national champions, is set to face Miami in the championship game as 8.5-point favorites. Klatt's comments challenge the notion of SEC superiority and