What if Indiana Beats Ohio State?

[30Duck]

What if?  The Committee couldn't have cared less about Indiana's #106 SoS so far. No.5 without playing a ranked team all season. But the Committee goes on the Eye test. Undefeated, No.1 Oregon, finally getting a break after 8 games straight, won't be playing while Indiana and Ohio State fight it out, now with Ohio State out its starting center. 

 

 If Indiana wins, it will probably be by more than 1, at Columbus. Oregon has been sitting at No.1 for a while. ESPN would love to have some drama. What better than to jump No.5 Indiana over idle Oregon?

[Jon Sousa]

I've been rooting for Indiana all year to beat anOSU. They've had enough time to jell.

 

If they win, there is NO WAY Indiana jumps Oregon who has beaten anOSU as well as other ranked teams... ESPECIALLY since Indiana will have a chance to prove it is better than Oregon the very next week in the Conference Championship Game.

[Haywarduck]

Love the see the hoosiers jump the Ducks in the rankings, absolutely dream scenario!

 

Would there be a better scenario for the BIG Championship game for the Ducks?

[30Duck]

On 11/20/2024 at 12:54 PM, Jon Sousa said:

If they win, there is NO WAY Indiana jumps Oregon

Makes total sense in the rational world; we're talking about the Committee here. Do they finally examine SoS?

[30Duck]

On 11/20/2024 at 1:00 PM, Haywarduck said:

Would there be a better scenario for the BIG Championship game for the Ducks?

I can think of one. 

[Haywarduck]

On 11/20/2024 at 1:02 PM, 30Duck said:

I can think of one. 

I grew up in the age of Oregon as the long shot. I also love the idea of proving it on the field with a chip on our shoulder. Both of those situations speak to my roots as a person and Duck.

 

I can definitely agree to disagree on this one, both scenarios are pretty nice!

[MicroBurst61]

Indiana, tOSU, longshot Penn St.....whomever.  Ducks will be there waiting to continue "adjusting" the B1G conference to Oregon.

 

Next. 

[noDucknewby]

No doubt I'm pulling for Indiana.  A second tOSU loss puts them in lower bracket and maybe we don't have to deal with them again.  I still think we can beat them, but they would be motivated and dangerous.

 

IF Indiana beats tOSU convincingly in the Shoe, then sure it's possible they overtake us in the rankings.  Doesn't matter we'd have to beat them anyway in the B1G Championship.

 

That said, my gut tells me there's no way Indiana gets the #1 ranking from where they currently sit at #5.  We still have the BSU win (who'da thought it would matter at the time?) and they should already be ranked ahead of Penn State which tells us what the committee thinks about them.

[Jon Joseph]

Indiana is in the top 6 in Strength of Record. 

 

A win over Ohio State would be the Hoosiers only Top 25 win; tOSU would stay in the Top 25 giving OBD 3 Top 25 wins. Indiana will not jump the Ducks. 

 

An Indiana win would be historic but it isn't going to happen. Day, Chip and Jim Knowles will have the Buckeyes ready to play. The Ohio State D is better than the Michigan D that shut down the Indiana O in the 2nd half in Bloomington. I expect the Ohio State receivers to feast on Indiana's smaller DBs and can Indiana hold up, even with Ohio State's starting Center out, against the best running attack and RBs Indiana has faced this season?

 

The Oregon D is better than the Indiana D and the Buckeyes moved the ball versus OBD in Autzen. I think the Nebraska game was this season's anomalous game for the Buckeyes. 

 

I hope the Hoosiers can keep it reasonably close so the Committee doesn't give Indiana the BYU treatment and drop the Hoosiers out of the PO to make room for another SEC team.

 

However, keep an eye on Ole Miss at Florida, A+M at Auburn, and Kentucky at Texas.

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

 

For Hoosier Hopefuls.

 

 

Kurtis Rourke’s leap of faith has Curt Cignetti’s Indiana on the edge of history

WWW.SATURDAYDOWNSOUTH.COM

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Kurtis Rourke and Indiana are in the midst of writing the most unlikely college football story since Rudy.

 

 

[Jon Joseph]

 

A game preview and prediction.

 

https://collegefootballnews.com/college-football/indiana-vs-ohio-state-prediction-game-preview-betting-lines-2024

[Jon Joseph]

 

Holy Hoosiers! Is Shooter OK With Taking a Back Seat?

 

 

Forever a basketball school, Curt Cignetti has awakened a 'sleeping giant' of a football program at Indiana

SPORTS.YAHOO.COM

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The Hoosiers will play in a top-five football game Saturday. How did it all happen? It begins with a fiery and confident coach who earned his way up through the ranks and a Hoosier team that's adopted...

 

[Nevada Dawg]

On 11/20/2024 at 1:01 PM, 30Duck said:

Makes total sense in the rational world; we're talking about the Committee here. Do they finally examine SoS?

 SoS, What's that? Oh, that. With this committee, nope will never happen.

[Nevada Dawg]

On 11/20/2024 at 4:47 PM, Jon Joseph said:

hope the Hoosiers can keep it reasonably close so the Committee doesn't give Indiana the BYU treatment and drop the Hoosiers out of the PO to make room for another SEC team.

Hmmm! dropping a team so far that they were out of the playoff picture like the committee did for the team that dropped 9 spots the week before despite having the #1 SoS and the #3 resume. Gee,,that would be unheard of for a team than hadn't beaten a ranked opponent. I'd be crying my eyes out for those poor mistreated Hoosiers.

 

For the record, my animosity toward the Buckeyes goes back so far and is so deep that I hope the Hoosiers win this game and 2-loss OSU drops from the playoff picture (or at least drops so far that they do not host a PO game at the 'Shoe). But, alas, I think the Bucks win pretty easily.

[fred flintstone]

This year the only poll that matters is the final poll. 

[GeotechDuck]

I could see Indiana getting up to No.2 if they pull off the upset and beat tOSU soundly.

 

The Ducks are safe at No.1 for another week with wins against 3 teams in the Playoff Top 25.  

[NJDuck]

 

Curt Cignetti addresses Ohio State game narrative: 'We don't prepare to play it close'

 

Curt Cignetti addresses Ohio State game narrative: 'We don't prepare to play it close'

WWW.ON3.COM

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The Hoosiers are heading into the biggest game in program history but they aren't playing for an honorable second place.

 

[Jon Joseph]

On 11/21/2024 at 1:28 AM, Nevada Dawg said:

Hmmm! dropping a team so far that they were out of the playoff picture like the committee did for the team that dropped 9 spots the week before despite having the #1 SoS and the #3 resume. Gee,,that would be unheard of for a team than hadn't beaten a ranked opponent. I'd be crying my eyes out for those poor mistreated Hoosiers.

 

For the record, my animosity toward the Buckeyes goes back so far and is so deep that I hope the Hoosiers win this game and 2-loss OSU drops from the playoff picture (or at least drops so far that they do not host a PO game at the 'Shoe). But, alas, I think the Bucks win pretty easily.

No team is being more hosed over than UGA. Who invited these Long Horns into the SEC and gave Bevo a B12 schedule? In the preseason you could see This Coming from far more than a mile away. The SEC bent over for Texas and hosed Georgia and Alabama. And both Sankey and Petitti knew the Committee would screw things up. So far, in favor of the B1G.

 

After Saturday, Indiana will have played the same number of Committee-ranked opponents as Texas, and Indiana might be 1-0 instead of 0-1. UGA has every right to throw rocks but not just at The Committee's ranking of the Hoosiers. Georgia at 10? Are there nine better teams in the USA than the Dawgs? Come On Committee! Sense and Less are running the show in Grapevine.  

 

BTW - If MIzzou was not in the SEC would the CoMo Tigers be ranked?

 

GO DAWGS - BEAT ... The Minutemen? 

[HappyToBeADuck]

For this Duck fan I ask myself these 2 questions when pondering if the Hoosiers can beat the Buckeyes....

 

Are the Ducks a better team than Indiana?

 

Answer: Yes

 

The Ducks have talent on both sides of the ball that will be playing in the NFL next year and beyond.

 

The Ducks have been tested under fire. Coming from behind against BSU, tOSU and Whisky to pull out wins.

 

OBD's have played and beaten 2-CFP worthy teams. IU gets that honor this weekend in the SHOE.

 

 

Can the Ducks beat tOSU in a rematch?

 

Toss-up game....they are that evenly matched. Injuries to key players may tip the scales.

 

I feel that both the Ducks and Buckeyes are 10 point favorites against the Hoosiers.

 

But anything can happen on that field. Thankfully they play the game.

[30Duck]

On 11/21/2024 at 7:09 AM, NJDuck said:

'We don't prepare to play it close'

With their schedule, why would they?

[GeotechDuck]

This could be the most ridiculous article I have read this entire year.  So bench your starting QB, get blown out, then take you chances on getting into the playoff with no wins against ranked opponents?  
 

Joey is bonkers. 
 

Joey Galloway: Indiana should bench QB Kurtis Rourke vs Ohio State to maintain CFP path

WWW.USATODAY.COM

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ESPN's Joey Galloway on Tuesday said Indiana football shouldn't play quarterback Kurtis Rourke vs. Ohio State to keep its...

 

[30Duck]

On 11/21/2024 at 9:35 AM, GeotechDuck said:

Joey is bonkers. 
 

Joey is a Buckeye, same thing. 

[Charles Fischer]

On 11/21/2024 at 9:39 AM, 30Duck said:

Joey is a Buckeye, same thing. 

Really?

 

 

[Grandpa Duck]

When it comes right down to the nut cutting, the reason I read FishDuck first is the belly laughs I get from posts like Charles has above.  Yes, that picture is worth a thousand words, and a good belly laugh.

[Jon Joseph]

 

Someone in Columbus, please call the cops and ask them to inspect the Painted Bucknuts Guy's basement and backyard for the buried bodies.

 

CREEPY .

[Jon Joseph]

 

Heard on B1G Today, today.

 

Since the Oregon Game tOSU safety Denzel Burke has not been stellar.

 

19 passes defended. 17 receptions, 2 TDs, 2 PBUs. Hmmmmm? 

[Jon Joseph]

 

Don't Forget the Hand Warmers and Long Johns.

 

 

Ohio State football vs. Indiana weather forecast

SCARLETANDGAME.COM

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The Ohio State football team will play another top-five team on Saturday. Unfortunately, the weather won't be as pristine as it has for every other game.

 

It's nice the stadium in Indy is enclosed. It snowed down in Cleveland last night for the Browns/Steelers game. 

 

The weather for a few 1st round PO games could be very interesting with Indiana, Penn State, and Ohio State potentially hosting games.

 

I was married to Wife Uno for 25 years. But it felt like 50 with The Wind Chill Factor.

[Jon Joseph]

 

Down their two best OL guys, but Scarlet + Game thinks everything will go the Buckeyes way.

 

 

Three bold predictions for Ohio State football vs. Indiana

SCARLETANDGAME.COM

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The Ohio State football team is getting ready to take on another top-five opponent on Saturday afternoon. We give you some bold predictions for the game.

 

Indiana will be Ohio State's 3rd game vs. a Top 5 opponent this season. No one will remember Brutus' visit to the OOC cupcake factory. 

 

Why is tOSU opening vs. Texas next season?

 

[Jon Joseph]

 

So nice to sit back, relax, and watch the Hoosiers/Buckeyes battle for the right to play OBD on 12/7/24.

 

 

Breaking down Oregon Ducks Big Ten Championship opponent scenarios in play this weekend”

WWW.YARDBARKER.COM

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Oregon fans will get to sit back worry-free this weekend and watch the rest of the college football landscape unfold knowing their Ducks are the No. 1 team in the country and have already...

 

[Jon Joseph]

 

Will it be Cig or Chip who Wins The Day on Saturday?

 

 

Big Ten football: Indiana’s Cignetti backing up words in historic season

SATURDAYTRADITION.COM

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No one saw the Hoosiers' rise coming -- except, apparently, their 1st-year head coach, who has IU on the cusp of a CFP berth ahead of the biggest game in program history.

[CalBear95]

Let’s say IU gets handled pretty easily (lose by 17+ points), what do you do with them if you are the committee?

 

Yes, they are #5 now and it seems odd that a 1 loss B1G team would slip out of the CFP but…106 SOS and a non-competitive loss against a high caliber team is risky.  
 

I know it doesn’t work this way but if you had no idea of IU’s ranking heading into Saturday but knew their SOS and record, where would you rank them post a convincing loss?  

Over BYU?  Over Tennessee?  I am not sure I would (but could be convinced).

 

It’s not IU’s fault their SOS is terrible and they’ve largely played the schedule they have pretty well.  But it’s a huge warning sign for me if IU looks bad against the kind of team they’ll see in the CFP

[Charles Fischer]

On 11/22/2024 at 2:56 PM, CalBear95 said:

Let’s say IU gets handled pretty easily (lose by 17+ points), what do you do with them if you are the committee?

Even if they play the Buckeyes close....what if the injuries on the Ohio State offensive line diminished their output enough for the Hoosiers to play it close, and you don't know the real level of both teams until they play other teams later?

 

I'm sure the Committee will figure

out how to get there...

 

[Just Ducky]

Then I guess the Buckeyes should sit their QB as well. Not going to happen.

[30Duck]

On 11/22/2024 at 2:56 PM, CalBear95 said:

It’s not IU’s fault their SOS is terrible and they’ve largely played the schedule they have pretty well.  But it’s a huge warning sign for me if IU looks bad against the kind of team they’ll see in the CFP

I agree it isn't their fault. But, as the idiom goes, it is what it is. Oregon and Indiana are both undefeated, that's the beginning and ending of the comparison between the two undefeated seasons. 

 

From the first game to the end of their 8 game gauntlet, Oregon has dealt with pressure, faced adversity, and come out on top. The closest Indiana has come to pressure to keep its undefeated season intact, is to contain Michigan's offense and preserve a 20-15 victory. 

 

Now, facing the biggest game in Indiana football history, most believe that the pressure is all on Ohio State. As long as Indiana doesn't get blown out, they're still golden. They won't have to play in the CCG, leave that to Oregon. They're used to pressure. 

Edited November 22 by 30Duck

[Jon Joseph]

 

Move Over Tubes!

 

 

Only Washington D.C. could view the underdog story of the Indiana Hoosiers as a problem

SPORTS.YAHOO.COM

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Indiana barreling into a late November game with Big Ten title and playoff stakes on the line should be held up as a reason why college football is better because of NIL and the transfer portal.

 

[CalBear95]

I agree it isn't their fault. But, as the idiom goes, it is what it is. Oregon and Indiana are both undefeated, that's the beginning and ending of the comparison between the two undefeated seasons. 
 

I actually think IU looks a lot more like Texas than any other team.  A weak SOS, no top 25 wins and a loss against the only raked team they have played (that’s assuming IU loses on Saturday and Texas to TAM later this month). IU does have a better argument that their 1 loss will have come on the road. 

 

I think Texas is better and probably by a fair margin.  
 

My guess is Texas has to beat TAM or they’re out. IU is probably a lock at that point but I really wouldn’t want to put that to the test if I were them given the depth of the SEC and the brand cachet that conference enjoys with the committee (I wrote about this in the ‘SEC is mad’ thread)

[1Funduck]

The whole SoS is bogus IMO. Its an opinion set before game 1 is played in August. Also, think being in the right conference matters? If Indiana was in the MW what would the 'Opinion' be? If they were in the SEC, what would the honks say? Another gripe of mine; because it all starts with opinion, if a conference had 2 loss teams all over the place, wouldnt you say that the conference isnt that good because the cream hasn't rises to the top? PAC12? BIG12? But, of the SEC has that scenario? Send the top 6 to the playoffs!!!!!! Pure homer-ism.

[Nevada Dawg]

Pre-season strength of schedules are set and have about as much relevance to what transpires as pre-season All-League and All America teams. Adjustments are made based on the most relevant criteria of all--what transpires as the season progresses between the lines on Saturdays. This metric, of course, includes computer analyses of the records of a team''s opponents and the strength of the opposition those teams have faced. 

 

I also don't believe that any conference should get more than 4 bids to a 12-team field. If there was ever a conference with more qualified teams than four, I would say to #5 and beyond that if you can't finish 4th in your own conference, what business have you  in a limited seed playoff for the national championship. I actually feel somewhat uncomfortable for even the fourth place finisher being included.

[Dave23]

On 11/23/2024 at 3:58 PM, Nevada Dawg said:

Pre-season strength of schedules are set and have about as much relevance to what transpires as pre-season All-League and All America teams. Adjustments are made based on the most relevant criteria of all--what transpires as the season progresses between the lines on Saturdays. This metric, of course, includes computer analyses of the records of a team''s opponents and the strength of the opposition those teams have faced. 

 

I also don't believe that any conference should get more than 4 bids to a 12-team field. If there was ever a conference with more qualified teams than four, I would say to #5 and beyond that if you can't finish 4th in your own conference, what business have you  in a limited seed playoff for the national championship. I actually feel somewhat uncomfortable for even the fourth place finisher being included.

I think the problem most people have is a team like LSU who lost to a bottom dwelling USC team was still ranked at 22nd as of last week. Ole Miss lost to several under 500 teams and was still ranked in the top 15. Any other conference in that would not be the case. Factor in the 8 games conference schedule versus the 9 game conference schedule and the Big ten automatically has nine more losses.

 

I totally agree with you on a maximum of three teams from a conference, if you can't finish in the top three you haven't proven you belong. I'd rather see how the other conferences actually match up not just unquantifiable computer generated SOS and eye test rankings.

 

 

[Nevada Dawg]

On 11/23/2024 at 3:09 PM, Dave23 said:

I think the problem most people have is a team like LSU who lost to a bottom dwelling USC team was still ranked at 22nd as of last week. Ole Miss lost to several under 500 teams and was still ranked in the top 15. Any other conference in that would not be the case. Factor in the 8 games conference schedule versus the 9 game conference schedule and the Big ten automatically has nine more losses.

 

I totally agree with you on a maximum of three teams from a conference, if you can't finish in the top three you haven't proven you belong. I'd rather see how the other conferences actually match up not just unquantifiable computer generated SOS and eye test rankings.

 

 

I agree with you on seeing how teams from different conferences match up and have a suggestion (that will never happen unfortunately)that would generate a lot of interest. Suppose say the B1G and SEC agreed to a five-year or so experiment where five randomly selected SEC and BIG teams switched conferences each year, with Georgia, say playing a B1G schedule and Oregon playing an SEC schedule.
 

Home games would be played at home and road games on the road in the new conference. This would generate the kind of interest that was a huge hit when interleague play came to the major leagues in Baseball and should be a treat for fans who would get to see their teams play 4-5 teams from anther top conference. And we'd have a lot better data over a 5-year period on how the two leagues match up.

 

Thoughts anyone? 

 

 

[Dave23]

On 11/23/2024 at 11:31 PM, Nevada Dawg said:

I agree with you on seeing how teams from different conferences match up and have a suggestion (that will never happen unfortunately)that would generate a lot of interest. Suppose say the B1G and SEC agreed to a five-year or so experiment where five randomly selected SEC and BIG teams switched conferences each year, with Georgia, say playing a B1G schedule and Oregon playing an SEC schedule.
 

Home games would be played at home and road games on the road in the new conference. This would generate the kind of interest that was a huge hit when interleague play came to the major leagues in Baseball and should be a treat for fans who would get to see their teams play 4-5 teams from anther top conference. And we'd have a lot better data over a 5-year period on how the two leagues match up.

 

Thoughts anyone? 

 

 

That would be an interesting way to go about it but I think that it would only give us a historic view of which conference is better over the long run, which can be decided in the tournament given that there's equal treatment in seeding and number of teams. 

 

To start off all teams should play the same amount of conference games. Second no conference should get more than 3 teams in the playoffs as this will give the non power 2 conferences a chance to prove them self. The NFL does this and it rewards the top seeded teams with an "eazy" game to start the playoffs while allowing everyone a chance to make a run. 

 

I agree that there should be more cross conference games between the power conference. One out of conference game a year should be scheduled against another power conference on rotating basis between the power 4 with 1/3 of the conference teams playing each other power conference. 

 

I realize this would take equal teams in each conference. The NFL really does have all of this already figured out the model just needs to be adopted by college.