As the College Football Playoff looms, the Indiana Hoosiers are riding high - undefeated at 13-0, Big Ten champs, and for the first time ever, the No. 1 overall seed in the CFP. Head coach Curt Cignetti’s squad has been one of the most compelling stories in college football this season, and much of the spotlight has rightly been on Heisman-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza. But as Indiana gears up for its biggest game yet, there’s a name that hasn’t gotten nearly enough attention: Carter Smith.
Smith isn’t the flashiest player on the roster. He doesn’t throw touchdowns or rack up highlight-reel plays. But he might be the most important piece in Indiana’s playoff puzzle - a steady, dominant presence on the offensive line who’s quietly been one of the best linemen in the country this season.
In fact, Smith enters the College Football Playoff as the highest-graded offensive lineman among all CFP participants, according to Pro Football Focus, with a stellar 87.9 grade. That’s not just good - that’s elite. And it’s a big reason why Indiana’s offense has been so efficient, so balanced, and so hard to slow down all year.
Let’s be clear: Smith isn’t Indiana’s starting center - that role belongs to Pat Coogan. But Smith’s impact is undeniable.
Week in and week out, he’s been a rock on the line, anchoring a unit that was named a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, given to the nation’s top offensive line. It’s no coincidence that Mendoza, despite playing in a conference loaded with defensive talent, has only been sacked 18 times over 13 games - that’s just 1.38 sacks per game.
That kind of protection doesn’t happen without a lineman like Smith doing the dirty work up front.
Smith’s journey to this moment has been a slow burn, the kind of development story that doesn’t always grab headlines but pays off in the biggest moments. He arrived in Bloomington in 2022 and saw limited action as a true freshman, making his debut against Ohio State.
But by the following season, he had locked down a starting role, starting all 12 games - and he hasn’t looked back since. Now, with 38 starts under his belt, he’s a veteran presence on a team that’s suddenly in uncharted territory.
And now comes the real test: Alabama.
Yes, the Crimson Tide enter the CFP as the No. 9 seed, but don’t let the number fool you. This is Alabama - a program built for this stage, with more playoff experience than just about anyone.
They’ve been here before. Indiana hasn’t.
That’s where players like Smith become even more crucial. In a game where nerves will run high and every play will matter, having a lineman who’s seen it all, who doesn’t flinch, who wins his matchup snap after snap - that’s the kind of edge that can tilt a game.
The Hoosiers and Crimson Tide will square off on New Year’s Day at the Rose Bowl, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. ET on ESPN. Indiana enters as a 7.5-point favorite, and while Mendoza’s arm and Cignetti’s game plan will be front and center, don’t overlook the battles in the trenches.
Because if Carter Smith keeps doing what he’s done all season, Indiana just might keep this dream run going.