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The original was posted on /r/cfb by /u/redwave2505 on 2026-01-12 17:47:27+00:00.
I was looking through Cignetti’s previous seasons, looking for any proof that he might be mortal, when I stumbled upon this little fact.
Cignetti and Harasymiak met only once, in 2018, as head coaches of Elon and Maine, respectively. Cignetti had taken the Elon job in 2017, while Harasymiak had started at Maine in 2016. Despite being in the same conference in 2017, the two did not play each other that year. In their 2018 meeting, #16 Maine defeated #14 Elon 27-26, clinching the CAA conference title, as both teams proceeded to advance to the FCS playoffs. Cignetti’s Elon would lose in the first round to Wofford, as they posted a 6-5 finish (the worst record of Cignetti’s career), while Maine made it all the way to semifinals where they lost to Eastern Washington.
2018 was the last year for both coaches at their respective schools, as Cignetti took the James Madison job in 2019, while Harasymiak became the Minnesota safeties coach. Harasymiak’s DC at Maine, Corey Hetherman, joined Cignetti’s JMU staff for the 2019 season. Hetherman is now the DC at Miami (FL), Cignetti’s national championship opponent. (And I have to sneak in that had they played in 2017, Maine’s OC would have been none other than Jacksonville Jaguars HC Liam Coen).
Cignetti may get the chance to rectify this record, as Indiana and UMass are scheduled to play each other in 2027. If both coaches are still there, the score will likely be evened, or maybe the Minutemen will shock the world…