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The Indiana Hoosiers have had a magical season under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti after achieving a 10-0 record. It's the first time in the program's history that it has remained undefeated through 10 games played in a single season. Indiana enters Week 13 as the No.
5 ranked team in college football. After beating the Michigan Wolverines 20-15, the Hoosiers are set to take on the No. 2 ranked Ohio State Buckeyes next.
Despite the success, college football fans have come to criticize Indiana for its Top 5 ranking. Many believe the ranking is unjustified due to the teams the Hoosiers have played in the 2024 season. On Wednesday, Joel Klatt of Fox Sports made his case for Indiana's spot in the rankings at this point in the season.
Klatt argues that before the season began , the original outlook on Indiana's schedule was "that it did not look easy." The Hoosiers are essentially playing at a substantially higher level than ever before, thus making their schedule seem lackluster in competitive matchups. Indiana's schedule looks "easy," but should it matter? š¤ @joelklatt shares his thoughts on what's changed in their strength of schedule since the end of last season.
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ā¬ļø pic.twitter.com/2qonKyCSOa Not including this season, the Hoosiers have only had two winning seasons (2007, 2019) since 2004.
The program went 3-9 in 2023 before hiring Cignetti as head coach. Additionally, first year head coaches are not typically expected to immediately turn a program around the way Cignetti has this season. Unless of course it's a team like the Alabama Crimson Tide or Ohio State Buckeyes.
However, those are football teams with a rich history of winning records. Indiana has seemingly earned its No. 5 ranking this season, as they are one of only three remaining undefeated teams in the nation (Army, Oregon).
Ā© Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images Additionally, the Hoosiers are in the mix for the Big Ten Championship and College Football Playoff. The Week 13 matchup against Ohio State is the biggest game of the year for Indiana, as the outcome of that contest will play a major factor in who plays the Oregon Ducks in the Big Ten Championship. At 63-years-old, Cignetti has 41 years of coaching experience despite being a first year head coach for Indiana.
He earned his first head coaching gig in 2011 working for the IUP Crimson Hawks. Through 13 years as a head coach, Cignetti holds an impressive 129-35 record. Related: Curt Cignetti is excited to face the Buckeyes on Saturday.
