One of the best stories in all of college football is what the Indiana Hoosiers are doing.
First-year head coach Curt Cignetti has completely changed the culture in Bloomington and Indiana’s perfect 9-0 record is clear indication of that.
Incredibly, the Hoosiers have not only won every game but have done so convincingly.
However, despite their dominant performances, the CFP committee has placed Indiana at #8 in its initial 2024 rankings, positioning five one-loss teams ahead of them.
The controversial decision has left some analysts questioning the committee’s criteria.
Among those voicing concerns is FOX Sports lead college football analyst Joel Klatt, who believes Indiana’s success deserves much more recognition.
“If you want to use the eye test, Indiana would be far better and far higher than what they are right now in the rankings,” Klatt said during an episode of his “Joel Klatt Show” podcast.
“You’re telling us, because of a team like Texas or Tennessee or Penn State, that the eye test matters. And I’m here to tell you that Indiana passes the eye test more so than even some of those teams.”
The Hoosiers have indeed demonstrated consistent dominance on the field, beating every opponent by at least 14 points, with an impressive average margin of victory hovering around 29 points.
They currently boast the nation’s second-highest scoring offense and seventh-best scoring defense, yet they still sit behind several teams with blemished records.
Klatt didn’t mince words when discussing what he views as a brand bias among the CFP committee members, suggesting that Indiana’s lower ranking might have more to do with its logo than its on-field accomplishments.
“What other team right now has the type of performance resume, and I’m not talking about schedule resume, but performance resume of Indiana?” Klatt asked.
“They’ve beaten every team that they’ve played by 14 or more. Their average margin of victory right now is in the high 20s. It’s like 29, they’re the number two scoring offense in the country.
“They’re the number seven scoring defense in the country. This is a really freaking good football team, and if they had any other logo on the side of their helmet, they would be ranked a lot higher.”
Klatt acknowledged that Indiana’s schedule has not been the toughest, with victories over teams like Nebraska and Washington as their most notable wins.
Yet he argued that if the committee truly prioritized “resume tests,” other undefeated teams with easier schedules would be ranked higher as well.
“Listen, if you want to say they don’t have the actual schedule resume in order to be ranked higher, you might have an argument,” Klatt continued. “You might have an argument. And I get it.
“You see their strength of schedule, it’s sitting there at what is it? 103, you know. But their point differential right now is first. Their best wins, not great, Nebraska and Washington, but they’re still 9-0.
“So maybe they don’t pass the resume test. But here’s the problem, is that if we’re just going by a resume test then that means BYU would be higher, which they’re not. So the inconsistency of the college football playoff committee is what is so infuriating for me.”
Klatt’s critique underscores what many fans and analysts have long felt – that brand recognition heavily influences the committee’s decisions, often at the expense of less established programs like Indiana.
“It’s infuriating which speaks to a clear brand bias in that room. If this, if either of these teams had a different logo on the side of their helmet, they’d be ranked a lot higher because there’s not a lot of difference between these resumes and what Miami has given us, and they’re right up there.”
As the Hoosiers look ahead to this Saturday’s matchup against the Michigan Wolverines – the defending national champions – a win would likely bolster their case for a higher ranking.
We all know Michigan isn’t “Michigan” this year. However, picking up a decisive victory over a blue-blood program will only help Indiana’s case for a higher ranking.
What are your thoughts on Klatt’s take?
Do you agree that Indiana is being disrespected? … Or are they merely a product of a soft schedule???