Indiana’s off week did not come with any ranking reward.
The Hoosiers slid five spots to No. 9 in the latest College Football Playoff rankings released Tuesday, a drop driven in part by a rough weekend for the Big Ten teams Indiana has already played. Those opponents went 0-6 last weekend, and Indiana’s strength of schedule took a noticeable hit as a result. ESPN listed IU’s strength of schedule at No. 42 in the FBS.
At 8-1 overall and 5-1 in the Big Ten, Indiana still sits in the thick of the playoff picture, but the current ranking would send the Hoosiers into a first-round game rather than earn them a bye into the quarterfinals. Under the present bracket, Indiana would travel to No. 8 Tennessee for an opening-round matchup if Selection Sunday arrived today.
The opportunity to climb is right in front of them. Indiana gets No. 18 USC this weekend, a game that could give the Hoosiers another quality win and a chance to steady their place in the rankings.
USC, now 7-2 and 4-2, still has a path to the Big Ten title game if it wins its final three regular-season games. That stretch includes a late-season matchup with No.
4 UCLA. Indiana, meanwhile, has never beaten USC, going 0-4 all-time against the Trojans.
The teams have not met since 1982.
The top of the rankings was reshuffled as well, with Georgia at No. 1, followed by Utah, Alabama and UCLA. Notre Dame came in at No. 5, with Texas, Miami, Tennessee and Indiana rounding out the top nine. BYU, Kentucky, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, Houston, Iowa, Oregon, South Carolina and USC followed in the next group.
The full top 25 also included Ole Miss, Ohio State, LSU, Missouri, Arizona, Boise St. and Oklahoma State.
The committee’s path to the 12-team playoff remains straightforward: the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC champions get automatic bids, the highest-ranked Group of Six champion earns another automatic spot, and the next seven teams fill out the at-large field. Notre Dame gets in if it finishes in the committee’s top 12. Teams ranked in the top four receive byes, while any automatic qualifier outside the top 12 is placed at No. 12 in the bracket.
In Other News...
Indiana Just Landed A Guard Hoosier Fans Will Want To Watch
Indiana added another notable name to its future backcourt with the signing of four-star guard Chase Branham from the class of 2027, a move that gives Hoosier fans an early reason to keep an eye on La Lumiere School. At 6-foot-4, Branham brings size for the position, and his arrival only adds to the sense that Indiana is trying to build its next wave with players who can fit the programs long-term plans.
Branham also arrives with some historical context attached, since he is now the 10th-highest ranked recruit Indiana has landed in the 247Sports era. In the schools official release, coach Darian DeVries highlighted both Branhams ability and his character, which is usually the kind of combination a staff hopes will translate well once the real work begins and the recruiting buzz gives way to what he can actually do in Bloomington. [Read more 🡒]
Lincoln Riley Just Sent Indiana A Message Before Bloomington Showdown
Lincoln Riley had plenty of praise for Indiana as USC turns its attention toward a trip to Bloomington, and the message was clear enough: this is not a matchup the Trojans can treat casually. Asked about the Hoosiers, Riley pointed to an experienced defense and the kind of coaching continuity that can make a team harder to prepare for, while also showing respect for Curt Cignettis program.
For Indiana, the compliments matter because they come with a reminder of what usually decides games at this level: which team can bring the same standard from one week to the next. Riley said consistency is the challenge, and that is exactly the sort of test the Hoosiers want in a high-profile home game, where a strong defensive identity and steady coaching should give them a chance to make USC earn everything. [Read more 🡒]
Tobi Osunsanmi May Decide Whether Indiana Can Survive USCs Attack
USC brings one of the Big Tens most dangerous passing attacks into this matchup, and Indianas best answer may come from the front line. The Trojans have leaned on quarterback Jayden Maiava to drive the offense, while the Hoosiers have built their defensive identity around getting pressure and disrupting timing before a play can fully develop.
Tobi Osunsanmi is at the center of that challenge. Indiana has to find a way to make USC uncomfortable early and often, because if Maiava settles in, the Trojans can turn a game fast through the air. The Hoosiers have shown they can defend at a high level, but this one may hinge on whether Osunsanmi and the pass rush can force USC out of rhythm before the secondary has to hold up for long stretches. [Read more 🡒]