​Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti during the Indiana versus Western Kentucky football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026.Indiana Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti is no stranger to unscripted press conferences. Following a nervy 29-23 win against the Northwestern Wildcats, Cignetti was at his most articulate self in front of CFB reporters.But one reference particularly stood out, and it was a doozy.CFB Fans in Disbelief as Curt Cignetti’s Pearl Harbor Remark Goes Viral“We got Pearl Harbored on the first two offensive plays,” Curt Cignetti said during the post-game press conference. The remark left a few reporters stunned as Cignetti elaborated.“That was a surprise attack, man.”START PREPARING:PFN’s Free College Fantasy SimulatorUnderstandably, CFB fans were taken aback by Cignetti’s remark. “What a line,” wrote a fan in disbelief.The remark certainly caught the fans’ attention, with social media posts echoing the surprise. “I have to respect this,” a fan added, appreciating Cignetti’s reference.Another CFB fan gave a genuine shoutout to coach Cignetti’s “hilarious” response. “I love coach Cignetti,” he tweeted.This CFB fan shared an interesting response. “They don’t even use that phrase in pro wrestling anymore,” he wrote.Notably, most fans took note of the Indiana HC’s comments in a light-hearted spirit. It was also gracious of Cignetti to explain what he meant rather than leave the remark open to ambiguity.MORE:‘Illegal’, ‘So Many Refs Just to Miss Obvious Calls’ — CFB Fans Outraged as Controversial Hit Injures Indiana RB Turbo Richard vs. NorthwesternMoreover, the Indiana team, now 4-0 this season, survived a major second-half scare after leading 12-0 at halftime and giving up multiple touchdowns. Backup running back Lee Beebe Jr., who replaced injured RB Turbo Richard, rushed for 203 yards on 24 carries and scored a critical touchdown.Indiana QB Josh Hoover also put together a steady performance despite the team leaning heavily on the ground game, completing 19 of 29 passes for 201 yards, one passing touchdown, and no interceptions.PREDICT THE CFB SEASON:PFN’s Free CFB Playoff PredictorHe also added a 1-yard rushing touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Hoover continues to make his mark in clutch situations, ranking No. 4 in PFN’s College QB Impact Metrics with an impressive 90.3 score.Indiana will next face the Rutgers Scarlet Knights on October 3. In addition to the win, CFB fans will perhaps be looking at what new analogy Curt Cignetti will offer next.This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.