Indiana, Curt Cignetti ripped for surprise punt decision in College Football Playoff

Curt Cignetti came into Friday’s College Football Playoff opener with confidence and a brash attitude that his Indiana team could beat anyone.

But that attitude didn’t translate into play-calling, at least late in the game.

Down 20-3 with 10:34 left in the fourth quarter, Indiana faced a fourth-and-11 at the Notre Dame 48-yard line and many, including the ESPN broadcast booth, assumed the the Hoosiers would push to go for it with their season on the line.

But that was not the case.

Cignetti sent out punter James Evans, who booted the ball to the Fighting Irish 22.

“I don’t get this at all. … He’s really punting it,” play-by-play man Sean McDonough said. “That’s a head-scratcher to me.”

Well, if Indiana thought it could keep Notre Dame off the scoreboard and get the ball in favorable territory, it was proven wrong rather quickly.

After a nine-play, 78-yard drive, quarterback Riley Leonard scampered in for a one-yard touchdown to help extend’s Notre Dame’s lead to 27-3.

The lackluster performance came after Cignetti joined “College GameDay” and said he does not fear any top team.

“We don’t just beat top-25 teams, we beat the s–t out of them,” he said.

That was not the case Friday night.