Curt Cignetti reveals biggest regret of Notre Dame CFP loss: 'Two minutes sooner'

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti didn't just want an invite to the inaugural College Football Playoff. 

He wanted to experience the elements of a win. It didn't happen.

Eventual national title runners-up Notre Dame had other ideas, eliminating the Hoosiers last December 27-17.

Five months removed from the loss, Cignetti had a chance to chronicle how he really felt about the Hoosiers' sudden turnaround this past season, its historical significance, the playoff loss, and what lies ahead for the program.

"When we played the big boys, it didn't happen," Cignetti told ESPN's Pete Thamel. "There's a real disappointment about the way we finished."

Disappointment is now in the rear-view mirror, but Cignetti couldn't help but wonder what would have happened offensively had he abandoned conservative play-calling. Whether short passes, the now-infamous punt, or otherwise.

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"Should have gone two minutes sooner, but hindsight is 20-20," Cignetti said regarding embarking on a possible late rally.

Looking ahead to this fall, the biggest question in Bloomington remains whether they can do it again. If they can, Cignetti recognizes what that could mean for the program going forward.

"Last year's over, and you got to start over again from ground zero," Cignetti said. "And you got to be hungry and committed and disciplined and do the things you got to do to be successful on a daily basis.

The Hoosiers' schedule is much more challenging than last year, including a potentially season-defining stretch from September through mid-October. It includes games against three teams that either made the College Football Playoff or were bowl-eligible: Illinois (Sept. 20), at Iowa (Sept. 27) and at Oregon (Oct. 11).

Win those three games, and there's a good chance more magic may happen. If not, winning six games might be the way it plays out.

That said, once August rolls around, a lot of the hype may dissipate, especially given the lack of "brand bias" the Hoosiers have compared to the likes of the Ohio State Buckeyes or Michigan Wolverines, for example.

Nevertheless, Indiana has a chance to do something special again. If it can, heads may turn.