Indiana kept climbing in the US LBM Coaches Poll, and this week the Hoosiers got a little more room to breathe near the top.
After a 55-0 win over Howard in a game that was so lopsided the teams agreed to shorten the fourth quarter, Indiana moved up one spot for the second straight week and now sits at No. 4. The Hoosiers are also the highest-ranked Big Ten team after passing Ohio State.
That jump came with a little chaos ahead of them. Ohio State fell 24-23 to Texas on Saturday despite taking a 23-3 lead into the fourth quarter. ESPN noted that No. 1 teams had been 197-0 when holding a 20-point lead at any point in the fourth quarter since 2004.
Indiana’s latest rise also comes with a striking stat attached to its scoring binge. The program now has seven wins of 50 points or more since 2024, the most of any FBS team since 2024.
Texas moved into the No. 1 spot, while Indiana picked up the third-most first-place votes with 10. The Hoosiers finished with 1,611 points, just behind Notre Dame’s 1,639 and ahead of Miami’s 1,549.
Here is the top of the poll:
- Texas (2-0) - 1,804 points, 42 first-place votes
- Georgia (2-0) - 1,732 points, 15 first-place votes
- Notre Dame (2-0) - 1,639 points, 4 first-place votes
- Indiana (2-0) - 1,611 points, 4 first-place votes
- Miami (Fla.) (2-0) - 1,549 points, 10 first-place votes
- Ohio State (1-1) - 1,480 points, 2 first-place votes
- LSU (2-0) - 1,405 points, 1 first-place vote
- Texas A&M (2-0) - 1,311 points
- Ole Miss (2-0) - 1,228 points
- Alabama (2-0) - 1,206 points
USC landed at No. 11, followed by Texas Tech, BYU, Tennessee, Penn State, SMU, Utah, Oregon, Michigan, Iowa, Oklahoma, Missouri, Houston, Washington and Virginia at No. 25.
Florida dropped out after sitting at No. 25 in the previous poll.
The US LBM Coaches Poll is voted on weekly during the regular season by a panel of Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches. Each coach submits a Top 25, with a first-place vote worth 25 points and each spot down the list worth one point at No. 25.
In Other News...
Charlie Becker Has A Real Heisman Case Indiana Fans Should Notice
Charlie Becker has been one of the early surprises in Indianas season, piling up 145 receiving yards and five touchdowns through two games despite seeing limited playing time. For a Hoosiers offense still sorting itself out, that kind of production has been impossible to ignore, especially when it comes from a player who has made such a quick impact on the field and already climbed onto the Heisman conversation board.
Becker is sitting 45th on DraftKings Sportsbooks odds list at +16000, which is long-shot territory but still enough to get attention if the production keeps coming. The real test is still ahead, though, with Big Ten play set to bring a different level of physicality and scrutiny. If Becker keeps finding space and staying this efficient once conference defenses start keying on him, Indiana fans may have reason to keep one eye on the standings and another on a bigger national race. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Freshmen Are Already Pushing For Bigger Hoosiers Roles
Indianas second win over Howard brought more than another check in the standings for the Hoosiers. It also offered a first look at several true freshmen on offense, with Jayreon Campbell, Parker Elmore, Lavar Keys and Kenton Mondeau all getting their first college game snaps as the staff kept widening the circle early in the season.
Campbell showed enough in his limited work to hint at a bigger role down the road, while Mondeau and Sam Simpson led first-year players in snaps as Indiana continued sorting out who can help fastest. On the other side of the ball, linebacker Jacob Savage keeps making a case of his own, following up his earlier showing with a disruptive day that included 1.5 tackles for loss and his first sack. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Showed Hoosier Fans What A Cleaner Team Looks Like
Indiana didnt just beat Howard, it looked more organized doing it, jumping to a 41-0 lead by halftime and giving Curt Cignetti the chance to empty the bench after the break. The Hoosiers had answers everywhere, with Lee Beebe Jr. and Turbo Richard both topping 100 rushing yards and a team performance that looked noticeably cleaner than what Indiana showed in its previous game.
Charlie Becker was one of the nights brightest pieces, turning his touches into a major impact in the passing game, while Tyler Cherry also got back on the field in a meaningful moment after last years season-ending injury. For a team still trying to establish rhythm and confidence, those are the kinds of signs that matter beyond the final score, even if there is still more to learn about how this group holds up against a stronger test. [Read more 🡒]