Pat McAfee goes gaga over the "unbelievable" Cignetti family ahead of thrilling Washington matchup in Week 9 

The Indiana Hoosiers under new coach Curt Cignetti are one of the biggest surprises of the college football season as they remain unbeaten to start the season (7-0, 4-0 Big 10 Conference). The Hoosiers' 56-7 demolition of the Nebraska Cornhuskers in Week 8 without the services of influential quarterback Kurtis Rourke made many fans and analysts sit up and take notice of their impressive form.

While filming from Bloomington, Indiana where the Week 9 ESPN "College GameDay" will be set, popular analyst Pat McAfee met the Hoosiers coach's family, which includes some high-profile members.

"I just met the entire Cignetti clan," McAfee said on Friday. "They need to do a documentary on this family. We've got four surgeons. Neuro-surgeons, salespeople. Did you know that there are doctors that come from IUP (Indiana University of Pennsylvania). I just met them. IUP doctors, I'm telling you, I have never been more shocked."

"I didn't wanna bring it up either, you gotta stay strapped around there, that's what I've been told. We've got doctors from IUP, I'm staring at them, I'm looking at them. My mind was blown, I almost stopped talking. I was meeting the whole family. Like, 'You're a doctor you went to IUP?' Actual doctors, real doctors."

Frank Cignetti Sr., the Hoosiers coach's father was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for his achievements at IUP and West Virginia, while his brother Frank Jr. is the offensive coordinator of the Pittsburgh Panthers.

He has three kids, Natalie Elise, Carly Ann (medicine) and Curt Jr. (sales) with his wife Manette.

Curt Cignetti lauded by Nick Saban

Cignetti was the wide receivers coach and recruiting coordinator under retired Alabama Crimson Tide coach Nick Saban during the first four years of his stint in Tuscaloosa (2007-2010) as he built the program into college football's modern dynasty.

During an appearance on ESPN's "College GameDay," Saban shared how big Cignetti's impact was on the building blocks of the first great Alabama team.

“One of the things that guys like Coach Cignetti had an advantage of is when we went to Alabama, they weren’t very good," Saban said on Thursday. "So therefore, we built the program from scratch. I mean, we were 7-6 the first year and 12-0 the second year, lost to Florida in the SEC Championship game. So the whole culture of the program got built.

“And I think it was a great experience for me, because we learned a lot along the way from each other,” Saban said. “But I do think that he probably saw all these intangible things that are necessary to have a successful program and to be able to sustain it. And I think that’s probably the biggest thing that he took away from that.”

The game against last season's national championship game runners-up, the Washington Huskies, will provide a stern test for Curt Cignetti and his team as he seeks to continue their unbeaten season.