No, Indiana football hasn't really beaten anyone, but what if it's for real?

Indiana dropped 35 first-half points on Illinois on Saturday night, a show of force against a top-10 opponent previously hyped for its defense. Thirty minutes of domination had turned the former mausoleum known as IU's Memorial Stadium into a combination of delirium and disbelief.

Heading to the locker room after his team had reeled off four touchdown drives of at least 54 yards, Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti was asked by a broadcast reporter: "What more do you want to see from your offense?"

"More points," Cignetti said with a smile.

Cignetti talks as if he's trying to sell slogan T-shirts. ("I win. Google me.") He calls plays as if he thinks he can score 100. On his left hand, he'd written "attack," as if he ever needed the reminder. He looks angry half the time and perplexed the rest that not everyone shares his expectations for brilliance, even at a place that rarely achieved competence before his arrival two seasons ago.

In this case, it was a 63-10 annihilation of the No. 9-ranked Illini, a prime-time beatdown that featured 579 yards of total offense, seven sacks by the defense and 39 minutes, 42 seconds of ball possession.

"We got done what we wanted to get done," he said.

Cignetti didn't get a power conference job until he was 62. As such, the now 64-year-old has no time for anything other than everything; let alone what anyone else thinks Indiana is or should be.

Nice story. Fun run. You haven't really beaten anyone.

College football keeps waiting for the Bloomington balloon to pop.

What if it doesn't?

What if Indiana actually employs the best coach, or at least the best for its situation, in college football? What if last season's playoff run wasn't some feel-good tale, but rather the start of bigger and bigger and bigger?

What is unfolding in Indiana is one of the greatest -- and certainly fastest -- turnarounds in the sport's history. It's the work of not merely a guy who seemingly knew it would occur but one who has little patience for those who didn't see it coming.

Yes, Cignetti still needs a really big victory -- Indiana plays at Oregon and Penn State this season -- let alone postseason success. Still, that's how deep down the coaching checklist he has created in less than a season and a half.

At a school that averaged 4.1 victories a season in the three decades before his arrival, Cignetti is now 15-2, and those two losses came on the road against last season's national champion (Ohio State) and runner-up (Notre Dame).

All offseason, Illinois was dubbed this season's Indiana. As IU's social media noted postgame, it turns out Indiana is this season's Indiana. Actually, the Hoosiers are better, deeper and more talented (including at quarterback with Cal transfer Fernando Mendoza).

"At a loss for words," Illinois coach Bret Bielema, who is pretty much never at a loss for words, said after the rout loss. "I mean, I've never been a part of anything like that. The thing that jumped out to me as we began to unfold in the second half was we just didn't have answers for what they were doing."

How often have you heard a veteran coach with a quality team say that?

Cignetti spent 28 years as an assistant, the final four at Alabama under Nick Saban. His chance to be a head coach came at Division II Indiana University (of Pennsylvania). Six seasons there led to two at FCS Elon, then James Madison, which switched to FBS in his fourth and fifth seasons.

Why it took so long for him to get a chance is now a mystery, but Indiana University (of Indiana) is cashing in.

Cignetti isn't the most accomplished coach in the country. That'll take time to play out. But the best? One of the best? Well, who could have done better thus far?

This is a different era for the sport. Tradition and history and dusty displays of old Heismans to attract recruits don't matter as much. There are traditional powers stumbling all over the place because of it, caught flat-footed with the realization that success isn't a birthright.

In its place is a new parade of aggressive contenders, none more so than a program that for generations served as little more than a distraction before basketball practice began.

Cignetti might be the perfect coach at the perfect time. He is clearly adept at finding overlooked athletes, building team chemistry through outlandish confidence and then calling plays that put his players, a roster of three-stars and portal finds, in position to shine. The Hoosiers arrive with balled-up fists and overwhelming belief.

This week IU, up to No. 11 in the AP poll, is headed to Iowa. Another test, another opportunity.

"This will be a challenge," Cignetti said. "A more difficult challenge than the last one, for sure."

Always attacking. He can't help himself. Doubt it if you want, but Curt Cignetti isn't here to play nice. And he might not be close to done.