The Hoosiers’ House of Cards Comes Crashing Down
The Indiana University football team’s 11-1 record was always suspect, built on the flimsiest of foundations – a soft schedule that would make even the most casual observer raise an eyebrow. Their College Football Playoff berth, earned without defeating a single team with a pulse, was a farce waiting to be exposed.
A Performance for the Ages… in All the Wrong Ways
Friday night’s debacle against Notre Dame was a masterclass in ineptitude. The final score, though lopsided, doesn’t begin to convey the sheer magnitude of Indiana’s incompetence. Even the brief, fleeting glimmer of a potential comeback in the waning minutes was nothing more than a cruel tease. The Hoosiers were never in the game, content to simply go through the motions and pad their résumé with another “good” loss.
A Cautionary Tale for the CFP Committee
As we enter the 12-team era, it’s imperative that the College Football Playoff committee learns from Indiana’s example. Any team that follows in the Hoosiers’ footsteps, coasting into the Playoff without a single quality win, must be held to the highest scrutiny. Friday night’s drubbing at the hands of Notre Dame – a team that didn’t exactly set the world ablaze – serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of rewarding mediocrity.
A Reality Check for Curt Cignetti and Co.
For those who spent the season touting Indiana’s prowess, Friday night’s embarrassment must have been a bitter pill to swallow. The team’s lackluster performance was a far cry from the boasts of “beating the shit out of” Top 25 teams. Instead, they were left punting from the Notre Dame 48-yard line, down 17 points in the fourth quarter. If I were an Indiana fan, I’d be mortified to enter 2025 with Curt Cignetti at the helm.
A Precedent Set, and a Warning for the Future
The damage is done. The precedent has been set, and we can expect to see more teams attempting to replicate Indiana’s formula for “success” – padding their schedules with cupcakes and hoping to sneak into the Playoff without breaking a sweat. It’s a disheartening reality, one that the CFP committee must acknowledge and address if they hope to maintain any semblance of credibility.
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