“Yup, he won”: How Curt Cignetti’s legendary quote became a real Google moment after Indiana’s title run

If you Google Curt Cignetti right now, you’ll see something most coaches only dream of seeing next to their name: a little celebratory message that reads, “Yup, he won.”

It’s part Easter egg, part cheeky, and 100% fitting for the coach who took Indiana from college football afterthought to national champion.

From underdog coach to meme reality

When Cignetti was introduced as head coach of the Indiana Hoosiers in late 2023, he made a bold (some might even say cocky) claim in front of recruits and reporters:

“It’s pretty simple. I win. Google me.”

It was the kind of line that could’ve aged terribly if things didn’t go well. But fast-forward to 2026, and Indiana just completed a spectacular 16-0 season capped by its first College Football Playoff national title in history, beating Miami 27-21.

And now the internet has literally answered his challenge.

How Google got in on the fun

Search engine giant Google appears to have leaned into Cignetti’s confident motto with its search results. If you type “Curt Cignetti” into Google, some users are now seeing a special message that pops up right above the normal results: “Yup, he won.”

It’s a rare nod from a company with billions of users and shows just how much Cignetti’s rise has captured the imagination of college football fans, plus a few engineers with a sense of humor.

Cignetti’s success at Indiana has been nothing short of remarkable with a nearly unheard-of turnaround. After Indiana hired him, the Hoosiers went 11-2 in his first season, with losses only to national powers Ohio State and Notre Dame, who both ended up in the national title game. In Year Two, Indiana stormed through the College Football Playoff, topped by six wins against AP Top 10 teams, an Indiana record. And Cignetti also helped elevate quarterback Fernando Mendoza into a Heisman Trophy winner and a projected No. 1 NFL Draft pick.

Across social media and fan forums, reactions range from amusement to outright admiration. Reddit threads are filled with fans joking that “Google is undefeated” after the search message appeared, or calling Cignetti’s original quote one of the best sports quotes of the decade.

Cignetti’s journey from a relatively unknown hire to national championship coach has been one of the most entertaining and improbable storylines in college football this year. And now, thanks to that tiny Google message, his own words have become part of his legacy.

So go ahead. Google Curt Cignetti.

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